PCS Board of Education Meeting: January 27, 2026

001Okay. Uh, we need a um motion to adopt the agenda. >> I move to adopt and approve the agenda. >> Oh, second. >> So, can before we approve that? >> Oh, yeah. >> There's one one change we want to um bring up here. So underneath special recognitions, reports, presentations, we have the 2026 27 budget reductions and then we also have it under action items and what we thought originally was to have comments from the public. So just basically eliminating it from a our special recognition reports and presentations and doing it so allowing comments from the public and then we move into action and it's the same presentation. Does that make sense? We have it on there twice. Oh, so we do the comments first. >> We do the comments from the public. So, we're just

002going to eliminate the the the um the presentation. >> I move to strike the presentation from the agenda under special recognitions. >> Second. >> I move to adopt and approve the agenda as amended. >> Second. >> All those in favor? I I >> Okay, perfect. Um Okay, so we go. We're going to comments from the public. Oh, okay. Hold on. I need to We need to find out how many. Okay. Three minutes a piece. Okay. uh three minutes a piece on um uh comments from the public on action items. I will read um our policy very quickly. Under government code section 54954.3A, members of the public have the right to address the governing board on any items of interest providing it relates to the subject matter jurisdiction of the school district. When government code allows

003speakers to criticize um while government code allows speakers to criticize district's policies, procedures, programs, services, and or employees, the district does have a policy BP1312.1 specific to complaints against employees. Uh should com uh comments from the uh public pertain to a specific district employee, the board requests that the complaint first be submitted in writing to the employees immediate supervisor for investigation. If the comment is about something that is not on the agenda, it will be heard only during the public comment on non-aggendaized items period. Once that part of the meeting is over, comments will only be taken on agenda items during the discussion of those items. The board values public comments and although we cannot take action or discuss items not on the agenda, we listen carefully and appreciate input from the public. Public comments

004are subject to a three minute per person limit or a 20 minute limit per subject matter. Uh commenters cannot seed their time to others. >> We're still at three minutes. Okay, good. All right, Megan Mlen. Stay here. I get to go first. Hi everybody. All right. Will you tell me when my time starts? I've rehearsed this for three minutes. All right. Good evening board members, superintendent, and cabinet. And Bri, my name is Megan Mlullen. I'm the lead school counselor at Paluma High, speaking on behalf of school counselors in our district. I'm here tonight to share some serious concerns about the proposal to cut 2.0 FTE school counselors while creating 2.0 no FTECT workbased learning counselor positions. Our first major concern is around long-term sustainability. At this time, we have not received clear information about how

005this potential shift impacts job responsibilities, credentiing requirements, or the future of comprehensive school counseling services in our district. Our second concern is alignment, specifically around our LCAP. PCS's ELPAC for 2024 through 2027 focuses on fostering a safe, equitable, and inclusive environment for all students and ensuring college and career readiness. It emphasizes mental health support, restorative practices, and comprehensive counseling. School counselors directly support many of these goals. Our work spans equity and inclusion, academic support, student wellness, college and career readiness, and family engagement. This proposal takes a position that supports multiple LCAP goals and replaces it with a position that supports only one, career readiness, while significantly reducing our capacity to meet the others. Our school counseling team responds to daily requests for students seeking support from AC for academic planning, graduation progress, college and post-secary

006planning, mental health concerns and crises, 504 plans, dual enrollment through SRJC and other institutions, grades and challenges in classrooms. Beyond individual student meetings, school counselors serve as 504 coordinators. At PHS alone, we manage 140 active 504 plans with more in progress. School counselors lead SST meetings, support ELD newcomer students, assist families with concerns ranging from graduation eligibility to students emotional well-being. We track graduation data, lead parent education events, and support students in crisis. All student counselors hold master's degrees and and pupil personnel, services, credentials, and were trained to assess student safety concerns involving harm to themselves or others, ensuring students have trusted, qualified adults they can turn to when it matters most. In the current and political current political and social climate, our students are navigating increased uncertainty, stress, and fear. And they bring those

007concerns into our offices every single day. This moment requires more from schools, not less. The Counselor Association recommends a 250 to one student counselor ratio. Both comprehensive high schools and junior highs in our district are already exceeding this capacity. Cutting counselors will further disproportionately impact the very student groups our ELCAP identifies as priorities. We respectfully ask the board to engage in further discussion before reducing comprehensive school counseling services. Thank you for your time and commitment to our students. >> Thank you. Christa O' Conor. Hello everyone. I am Christa Okconor speaking tonight as the English learner resource teacher at Paluma High. My colleague Sarah Sharp, one of our elementary bilingual resource teachers, wrote to you with concerns about the pending elimination of the district bilingual coordinator. I am in full agreement with her regarding every point

008she made in her letter. To be brief, I understand the financial difficulties we face and that there are no good trades when it comes to making the necessary cuts. However, I stand before you with grave concerns that once again, we're putting our English learners last when it comes to programs and support. As Sarah pointed out, every BRT&R in our district relies on the expertise of our current bilingual coordinator to do our jobs competently and confidently. Without such an experienced, knowledgeable, and dedicated person in this position, our multilingual and bilingual programs along with our state ELPAC testing obligations will falter and potentially fail. I want to read just one portion of what she had to say into the record. She said, "My fellow BRTs and Eerts depend on the bilingual coordinator on a weekly basis at

009minimum and multiple times a day during initial and summit of ELPAC testing sess seasons for consultation on essential compliance work related to identifying, testing and monitoring English learners. Not one other individual in our district shares her in-depth knowledge of how to use toms, mood, elevation, arys, school, space, elpac testing interfaces and timelines, elpac rules and the directions for administration and particulars of testing accommodations in coordination of support with our English or multilingual students. um she is consistently accessible and responds right away when we have issues around getting kids into calads, toms, etc. Um so it's an important position. I just want to say it also concerns me that tonight's DAC meeting to be held in this room was postponed in the fall and again this evening to accommodate this meeting. So to date, our district

010has not held one single district e advisory committee meeting this year. For the families of our English learners, please remember that our responsibility and accountability to our English and multilingual learners should be paramount and to ignore their importance is a huge mistake. Thank you for your time and consideration. >> Thank you. Uh, Victor Hughes. Thank you for allowing me to speak today. For nearly two years, it's been my privilege to serve Paluma City Schools as the workbased learning coordinator. My position is funded through a dedicated and restricted grant because this work has been identified as valuable and to student success. So I want to respectfully ask, are we following the proper steps in considering the elimination of a position that is already funded and specifically designated to serve students? The question is important because what

011we are discussing today is not only a budget decision, but a decision about student opportunity and long-term impact. As a work-based learning coordinator, my work is directly studentf facing. I connect students to real world opportunities that help them see the value in their education and in themselves. This year alone, I supported three cohorts of the RTP internship serving over 15 students. I've built more than 250 industry contacts across Soma County for field trips, guest speakers, and internships. I presented to five community organizations, including nonprofits and the Chamber of Commerce, to create partnerships for our students. I hold weekly office hours at each of our comprehensive high schools, helping students with resumes, job applications, and career planning. At the start of the semester, I checked in with 31 teachers in our CT department to assist with

012field trips, guest speakers, giving them more time to focus on classroom instruction. Most importantly, across our district, last year, students participated in almost 2,000 work-based learning experiences, including internships, student led enterprise, simulated work-based learning. These numbers represent real students being prepared for real futures. Rather than speaking in general terms, I want to share one story that reflects what this work looks like in real life. That story is Jonathan's. Jonathan is a young African-American male who attended school on the first day of the semester and then stopped coming. He didn't see the value in himself or in school. And he told me once when he turned 18, he planned to drop out so no one could question where or why he was there. When principles and staff could not reach him, one staff member recognized that

013he needed someone who could relate to and trust. She reached out to me and that introduction changed everything. We built trust. We worked on his resume. He applied for an internship and did not get it. But he did not give up. He later secured a part-time job. Is currently employed and is now enrolled in adult school working toward his GED. Today, he shows focus, motivation, and better attendance than many of his peers. Jonathan's story is not unique. He is one of dozen of students whose past I've had the privilege of helping shape. Second, >> as one of only three African-American male employees of this district, my role also carries deeper community value. For many students, seeing an adult who understands their experiences and believes in their potential makes the difference between disengagement and hope. Eliminating

014this position is not simply a budget decision. It's a decision that affects whether students continue to have access to role models, mentors, and pathways to help them envision a future in their own community. Thank you for considering this. Thank you. Uh Dan Austerman. >> Hi everyone. Thank you. Dan Austerman, Pathways Coordinator for Pedalum City Schools. I've been 10 years in the district. I live and work in Pedaluma and I love it. I I just love being here. Thank you. Um it's youth truth season. to questions that are on the youth truth survey. First question that we ask students, my school has helped me figure out what careers match my interests and abilities. 32% who did not experience work-based learning said yes. 49% who did experience work-based learning said said yes. Another question. My school has

015helped me understand the steps I need to take in order to have the career I want. 40% who did not experience work-based learning. 57% who did. So out of a little over 15,000 students who took Youth Truth last year, that's almost 3,000 students who were significantly in impacted by work-based learning. It it absolutely helps them. That's huge. So what does a work-based learning coordinator do? Just a few highlights in addition to what Victor mentioned. Identify and develop opportunities for students to engage in job shadows, internships, pre-apprenticeships, all of that we're working on. He's only about 18 months into the job. Coordinates guest speakers, field trips for all PCS pathways, coordinates fingerprinting process for our internships, ensuring safety for all of our students as they go out into the workplace, and documents and reports work-based learning

016data for the CDE. That's an annual expectation. We have over 2,000 workbased learning experiences that were documented last year for over a thousand PCS students. It's significant. I don't know how this work will be done in the future. we have even more numbers to report this year. And so I'm here to advocate for the workbased learning coordinator that is on the reduction list. I'm also here to advocate for the two school counselor positions that are on the reduction list. All three positions are specifically written into the Golden State Pathways Program grant for which we were awarded by the California Department of Education last spring. Because grant funding comes with very specific expectations, I'm concerned about how changes may affect both compliance and trust with our funders. Can the board speak to how these decisions were

017evaluated to ensure they meet both the letter and spirit of the grant? Thank you for your time and thank you for all you do. >> Thank you. Uh Eliza who's here. >> Hi, good evening board. Um uh last two weeks ago, um Superintendent Harris made it very clear that these positions or these budget cuts were coming and there was no way to stop that. So, I've been thinking a lot about that in the last two weeks since we know what's going to happen and thinking about what the aftermath is going to be and how we're going to manage that risk. I am really interested to hear the rest of the presentation tonight and learn along with everyone. Um, but I keep thinking about how I don't I don't understand how we can remain in compliance

018with IDEA and with 504 plans, both medical and non-medical, with lowering staff at the rates that are shown on these slides. I just don't see how it's possible. And I'm not an expert, but I'm I don't I'm really concerned about the legal risk that the district is going to be putting itself in with lowering these posi with, you know, reducing these positions. And I'm wondering about who's doing that analysis and when is I hope you are all asking those questions. I want to know. I want to know the answers because these cuts to me it feels like are going to be costing us a lot of money in the next few years as families realize that their legal rights are not being met and decide to take action against the district. So, that's what I'm

019here to to say and to ask. Um I hope everybody's considering that and I want to know the answers. What does the math look like um with lawsuits? So, and that's what the sign is for. I was thinking that I was going to say this to you after the presentation. So, I'm just putting the sign up to help you remember that. Thank you. >> Thank you, >> Sandra Larson. Hello, I'm Sandra Larson, 45 year resident of Pedaluma and president of the Pedaluma Federation of Teachers. This is a difficult time for public education. And I just got a reminder that covered that. Needs are up and everyone who works in public education is being asked to do more with less, including you, our trustees. As I said before, I'm glad I'm not in your shoes. You're

020being asked to make cuts that will affect every stakeholder, and I don't envy you. But we face an even worse situation if you do not make the hard choices that must be made tonight. Without these cuts, the district will face an even larger deficit in the near future. The budget committee has done what they were asked, what was asked of them. We had a process that all parties agreed to, and all voting members were allowed to advocate for positions, and all participated in the voting. In the end, we were able to agree on over $6 million in cuts. We did that not because we wanted to. We did it because we knew we had to. I'm asking the board to make the necessary cuts to ensure our district is physically sound. If you as a

021board decide you cannot eliminate something listed in the budget committee recommendations, they were only recommendations. I ask that you find additional cuts from something else to take its place. Making the cuts tonight will allow us to bring positions back when the funds are available and keep Pedaluma City Schools on solid ground as we face uncertain times. We know what happens when we don't make the cuts. We only have to look about 20 miles north to see the future if we don't. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Uh we had a a few people come in. Uh we're at our um just about at our 20 minutes, but I can So what I thought I'd do is give each of you uh about 45 seconds uh to speak. I believe all of you have spoken before.

022So we want to hear from you, but um we're kind of we we also want to get to the presentation and um so uh the first one is so we'll do 45 seconds. Okay. Uh Laura Baron. >> Hi. Thanks again for being here. Um just reiterating, I'm a second grade teacher at McDow. Just reiterating the fear of cutting down our literacy specialists. We had six last year. This year we're at 3.5. This proposal tonight sounds like it's going to 2.5. And we know that if students can't read, that's the number one thing. It affects math. It affects science. It affects every subject area. Our second language learners are not being reclassified due mostly to their reading and writing scores, not their listening and speaking. We need need more literacy support, especially for our second language

023learners. And I think we need to make that a priority. I really am concerned about cutting down to the 2.5 and hope we can keep a little bit more than that in this budget. And I understand it's a really tough decision, but after that, I also hope this board will also look at where it needs to go. I know the district is looking at that and focus our attention on the students who need it most. Thank you. >> I'm sorry. That really is a quick one, isn't it? Okay. Uh Dana Gotautle. I'm Dana Gotautle, also a reading specialist. I'll echo everything Laura said, but I will add that I think it's shortsighted to cut reading specialists because you are going to have so much more expenses in special ed costs. I'll add to it. Last

024year, last minute, Matthew found seven or the board found $70,000 to be used for afterchool tutoring. I would like that money to be reallocated to fund another half reading specialist. I think you'll get much more bang for your buck and every single reading specialist recommended that last year. and I'd like the board to take a look at using that money in that way. Thank you. >> Thank you. Can you re repeat for me um what fund that was? I'm sorry. I know I'm not supposed to do this, but No. So, as you'll recall, at the beginning, they were going to cut all the reading specialists, then they brought back half of them. Um, in the email that arrived approximately uh 5:00 in our inboxes, it said there's $70,000 which will be split up between seven

025schools, 10,000 per school to pay for afterchool tutoring that will be provided by teachers. I think that has been used to a limited extent and I believe it could be used more effectively to fund a half-time reading specialist to support more students in more schools which also frees up teacher and administrative time. Okay, thank you. >> Did you have any clarification? >> Uh, Jesus Contreros, >> I'm not going to sing right now, but So, anyways, 40 uh really uh what I want to just kind of cover real quick is how um not only are they we're down to like we're going to be down to four music position or actually we're what they're looking at we're actually looking at maybe 2.6 um positions, but the thing is that we're at we're currently already at five

026and we're barely enough. we're not even able to cover um all seven schools and why it's important that if especially for the parcel tax in this how this they cut back in fact it kind of surprised us because we're actually now the only right now the only source for a lot of the prep time that is valuable for all the elementary uh music teachers because even when VAPA um does go through the system is only going through 12 weeks so no there's nothing in place after the the VAPA teachers go for 12 weeks so that's one of the things that like music provides It's not only that um valuable instruction but it also provides that time that for teachers that it makes it important for them that we should have this. Thank you. >> Thank

027you. Thank you all. Okay. Um, so we are going to move on to the presentation for the budget reductions that we I believe that we're going to be starting where we left off at the next meeting. Thank you. I am sorry. >> Okay. Oh, got it. Okay. >> Yes. >> I don't think so. All right. Thank you. Um, just a very quick recap. Um at the end of the last meeting, we discussed each section in here um of potential cost savings and ended with um we mentioned the elimination of the parcel tax contribution, but did not have a chance to show what that would potentially look like. So, I'm going to start with um measure C, which is the high school parcel tax. We came up with three options that were voted on by the

028budget advisory knowing that all options would come to the board. Option one is highlighted. This is the option that we had consensus on. So this one and I do want to point out um there's been some conversations about positions and other things that had historically been charged to the par parcel tax had been removed at different times. um some had still been in there and making a contribution. So, we created a list of things that over um the last seven years at one point had been charged to the parcel tax to let you see um give options that way. So, this this option would keep the four librarians um one tech support and 3.0 O FTE teachers um at the two secondary high schools. It would eliminate two library assistants at the secondaries. The additional

029arts, creative arts supplies that had been coming previously through a parcel tax contribution. one tech support and 1.5 teachers that have been charged to the parcel tax. The teachers that have been charged to the parcel tax um have it has changed it fell under the retract and retain qualified teachers by lowering lowering class sizes. So, it hasn't historically been to specific um classes. Option two um would have kept two of the librarians, two librarian assistants, one tech support, three teachers, and the art supplies would have or would eliminate two librarians, one tech support, 1.5 FTE of teachers, and some of the art supplies to balance it to what the this parcel tax brings in in option three would would keep two librarians, two librarian assistants, one tech support, 4.5 FTE teachers. It would eliminate two

030librarians, one point one tech support, one and a half teachers and the arts supplies. So, of the three options, this was what the parcel Oh, excuse me. Budget advisory um voted to keep before. Do you want me to move on to the This is all for the high school. Would you like me to move on or would you like Do you have questions? >> Yeah. >> I just want to point out that this is not what we're voting on tonight. Correct. >> Correct. So tonight is a resol after the presentation there is a resolution that commits reaffirming the commitment um to make the staffing reductions in February at the two February meetings. Um the difference is is originally when we started this conversation the original resolution did say at least $5 million. This resolution does

031say the $6 million um after going through budget advisory, it was their recommendation to move forward with all. And the one good thing about continuing the meeting is we were able to have another budget advisory meeting where they gathered the list of eliminated potentially eliminated positions that they would like to bring back if funding allows. So at the very end of the presentation, I will be able to show that. Um so that would give yeah um the reason for the $6 million was um it was always at least $5 million. Our as we saw between budget adoption and first interim it is a fluctuation. Our finances are always changing. Um we in order to come up with the amounts we have to use estimates because we don't know which staff are will actually be impacted.

032So the actual cost could be a little more and could be a little less. So we wanted to make sure they they wanted to make sure that we were above that amount. Um the other information that has come out since um first interim is that the cola for next year is now slated to be 2.41. At first interim we thought it would be 3.01 01 and that is a roughly $600,000 reduction to revenue that we'll see in LCFF alone. We do receive COLA on other programs, so we can anticipate a reduction between 6 and $800,000. Any more questions on the high school about the art supplies? So then if we're eliminating them from here, then where will they come from? Just the general fund and not a contribution from the parcel tax. >> So um

033currently in this year the additional as part of the principles discretionary there's a carve out. Some of that has come out of Prop 28. Some of it has come out of the general fund. Some of it has come out of unrestricted lottery. Um it depends on what they were actually spending the funds for. So depending on next year's budget, anything eliminated from this essentially, we may not have the funds to give the additional funding. Any more questions? Okay. All right. um parcel tax D which is our older elementary parcel tax. Ultimately this was the option option three that um had majority. This is to keep 2 and a half reading specialists, keep 2.6 elementary music teachers, keep 2.4 library assistants. This would remove the creative arts supplies, the 1.2 to FTE music and 1.0 reading

034specialist. Option one presented was to keep 3.5 FTE reading specialists, 2.4 library assistants, and the 1.2 elementary music teacher. This would eliminate 2.6 elementary music and the arts supplies. Option two would keep the 3.5 rating specialists, keep the 2.4 FTE library assistance, keep the elementary, excuse me, 1.0 elementary music teacher, and $28,000 of the arts supplies. This would eliminate 2.8 FTE music and $31,000 of arts supplies. So those were the three options that were presented to budget advisory and um this is ultimately the one that was voted um as selection. I do when we go to the next slides about bringing um potentially bringing positions back. There were a lot of conversations about um though we keep talking about not using restricted funds on positions because ultimately you end up here when those funds run

035out. Um we have received student support success block grant this year and learning loss recovery block grant. We have received of both of those more than 50% of the cash um in hand. We do have three this year and two more years to spend it. So the what we talked a lot about was the recommendation was the reading specialist um really aligns with the learning loss recovery block grant. Um right now we would be able to spend it next fiscal year and the following before it expired. It looks like in the governor's budget that we may be receiving it again next year which would then carry it out one more year. This isn't a long long-term it's not sustain sustainable because it is restricted funding but they definitely fall into that. The music teachers too

036we talked about fall into the student it's student support and enrichment and also the learning loss recovery because you can tie music um to math scores and also um a lot the student support. It's a lot like the arts and music discretionary block grant where it says this is what it's for, but it's it's pretty it's pretty broad. Um, attract and retain qualified teachers is in that language, too. So, I would say anytime that we can give additional support, that would be in there. So, and then I'll talk a little bit more about that on other slides, but that's specific to the elementary parcel tax. >> Can I ask a question? >> Of course. So if it's if we got to h if we're going to have it for three years, would it be wise

037to when we hire people or retain people that they realize that everybody realizes that this is a three-year contract and then if we get money again, then we extend that contract. >> Yes, that's a great question. And so that's one of the things um we've talked about in Jason will be bringing forward to the February meetings. Any of our positions that are federally funded or grant-f funded or one-time funded will now come up annual as part of the list and if we know we have the funding for another year um it comes up and then we reinstate it. That's one way people that are funded with temporary funds know. And then when and if if this was a position that was hired because I know with um we already have reading specialists in house but

038if this was a position that was posted on edjo join any position it should say temporary this is the end date this position ends on June 30th um 20 and whatever year that is definitely something we should do >> and I feel it'd be really important for the community to know that as well. Yeah. >> And I think too um the other thing that we can do moving forward when we're at interims and budget time and we're talking about our multi-year projection, having the list of positions, these are temporarily funded and continue as new funding becomes available if things are still working. Um having the conversations as we go so when one-time funding comes up, we have an idea of what the staffing priorities are. Um, okay. So, um, I'm not a a math wiz.

039Um, and I'm trying to, uh, so I'm just trying to manage these numbers in terms of how many reading specialists will actually have because I know that we reduced by one in July >> and so now we have four, right? Oh, no. I'm sorry. I don't know why I said yes. We sorry. Go ahead. >> Go ahead. We reduced two in July. >> Three in July. Yeah. Sorry. Yeah. Okay. >> Yeah. So, >> so now we now have three >> 3.5. So, right now we have 3.5. Yes. And so we want to reduce that. And this is where all the funding for the reading specialist comes from. Is that correct? This is this is throughout with the one-time funding. They were historically charged to the parcel tax. They've been moved all this is a lot

040of these positions have been moved o all around over the last seven years. >> Oh, no. I understand that. It's just that it was um my understanding was that it was one-time funded and that's for those three positions that we eliminated in July. >> Is that correct? So the reading specialist >> for that >> the reading specialists have been as m Amanda said they've been in and out of parcel tax if the parcel tax. So the parcel tax if you look at the keep here right three four five six seven it's about seven $750,000 about the parcel that measure D brings in every year right and there's no inflator. So we this is >> No. Yes. I'm sorry. Let me I'm sorry. I don't mean to interrupt you, but I understand all of that, but

041I was I guess I my assumption in July was that the one-time money was the one time money from the government from both state and federal. And so that I think that's where I'm a little confused in terms of how we have been funding our meeting specialists. >> So the I um >> I'm sorry. I would have asked you this. No, just let me let me back up to make sure. Okay. When we came to the board in July, um yes, we had been we had increased by three reading specialists originally with whatever er money was used few years ago. Um that had expired. We had not eliminated them. So essentially they were moved into the general fund. When we came to the board um looking to cut the million dollars in the current year,

042we were we were looking we were really unfortunately stuck with we couldn't lay off any positions because we hadn't done the federal funding temporary the way we had. So we had to look at the staffing that we had and what could essentially be moved into vacancies. So we had reading specialists that also had multiple subject credentials so they could go into the room. It had been a year or two they'd been in the general fund. Um but we were that's what that conversation and then at the same time we've been for two years having the conversation of what had been added during the pandemic. So the additional three had been on that list but that that was what started the conversation. We were looking in current year how we could make reductions Can I just

043can I just build on that too just to make I want to give that his the historical context. So as you know, principal McKinley, my my understanding throughout that time is we have traditionally or historically in this district had 3.5 reading specialists funded through the general fund or from the partial tax, right? In addition, McDow used I I believe used some title one funds to fund an additional 0.5 so that they had a full-time there was a full-time reading specialist at McDow. There were a few years where McKinley did the same thing and we used some title one money to have a full-time person but out of partial tax orgeneral fund it was 3.5 for every single school McDow and McKinley McDall I think for quite a long time had used uh some title one

044funding to fund the full-time and McKinley in and out of that um during the pandemic or with the one-time pandemic funding we said hey we're going to bring everybody up to 1.0 you know, and so we used one-time funding to give every one of our seven sites a full-time reading specialist, knowing that, okay, this is onetime funding coming in. We gave the we the funding. So now we're kind of going back the 3.5 is back to that historical number of the 0.5 per site. Not to say that, you know, to some of the speakers points like some sites have more need than others, which is why you saw McDall and McKenley. So, we need to adjust a lot of the the the percentages and we have adjusted some of the percentages, but the three that's

045where the 3.5 comes from. >> And Matthew, what what where is Title One now? I mean, are we still getting funding from the federal government or not? >> Yes, we're we have we are anticipating funding in this fiscal year. We have it budgeted. Um, we received the original allocation before the government shutdown in was that technically fall, winter, fall. Um, and we have not received an updated allocation. And it's my understanding that there will be so we're just we're still using the same number that we used at that budget, >> but there there's certainly there is great uncertainty over whether what and what when how much federal funding we're we're going to receive for especially here in California. And then for um with all of these like I had talked a little bit at the

046high school one there's been so many movements over the years the other goal was the parcel tax um what what should be charged there or what we would like to be charged there keeps coming up and that's why um you know we have been making a contribution and looking trying to put things up there to get um first through budget advisory and then through the board what would we like to be charged there. Um, moving forward and knowing un unfortunately we it's about $770,000. Um, this needs to be revisited every couple years. We do have salaries charged there. So in 2 years from now we will be making a you know a contribution again and just being able to re um not establish but re re Yes. Thank you. I'm sorry like probably everybody in

047this room it's been a month since I've slept. So I have one more question. Oh the 2.4 for library assistance. Is that over our seven elementary school? >> And so they they don't h none of our schools have a full-time librarian librarian is correct in our elementary. >> So our seven elementary schools this is historical for years and years and years. I don't want to I don't want to say the wrong exa the ex exact number but typically about a fourh hour library assistant four or five I think it's four or five hours per school site to keep our elementary libraries open these are library assistants so they all work under the credential of one of our librarians I believe Nathan Livecap over at Kasa is the he sort of um anyway those are for

048those are at the elementary sites some sites use some site funding I know Cherry Valley uses some site funding to boost the number of hours. Um, but that's district funded and that's been historical number. >> Okay. Thank you. Anything else? All right, you can go ahead. >> I will move on. So, um, this is the new elementary parcel tax measure D. Nope, sorry. Try again. Measure E. Um this one is um unfort when we went out the for the election the the paperwork said that we would be receiving $1.4 million. This parcel tax is only generating $1 million. Um so we have committed $1 million to non-management certificated and classified salaries in last fiscal year. Um the nurse we we was one time was part of elimination last year. It was um we were looking

049for for funding to save it. We thought that we would be receiving more funds in the parcel tax. So it was moved into here. Um though because we're not receiving that, it actually wasn't. So I do want to point out that amount of 174 was counted on the very first slide. That's why it's not count that amount is not counted in this, but I did want to highlight that our goal was to have it there. And then we did hire um floating TK assistants at each of our elementary sites to help with the ratios. Um, another conversation that we spoke about a lot at budget advisory is um, if we are able to bring back say student advisors like if we could bring them back knowing like we can't bring everything back but setting up

050like TK may need additional break time and help and building that into the daily schedule to offset this was originally brought in to help um, break employees because we do need to maint maintain the 1:10 ratio at all times. So looking about um anything if and can be brought back how to fill as many gaps as possible. Okay, Amanda. So what positions and this has been bugging me ever since I set a budget advisory. what positions are being funded through the parcel tax here. >> So, great question. Um, we did that as part of salary negotiations. So, it is basically the million dollars is it's a teeny tiny portion of like the way we write it. a teeny tiny portion of it would go to every single um anybody who that is paid on the

051salary schedule for C a csea salary schedule or a PFT salary schedule. It's a really small portion. So essentially we just make a contribution to salaries. So it's it's not it's not specific positions. No, one of the things that we did discuss um started to at the very end of the last budget advisory though um and re this is completely it's within the parcel tax language retract and attract and retain highly qualified teachers. This is a really hard it's really hard to to explain and discuss that when time permits in the future knowing that we h we will always have committed to salaries we can't take those back once we commit them. So what would be nice is to look at um other position things that are being charged to the parcel tax that um

052could essentially be moved into this and the salary piece taken out. The the the one piece of that is anything that is then moved into something that only brings in a million dollars as things increase, you know. Um but that is something that we would like to work on when time permits further down with budget advisory making a recommendation. All right. Um so as I said we were able to have one more budget advisory meeting. Um there was a lot of conversations. I want to um reiterate that the committee didn't want to eliminate any of these positions, but knowing that to um sustain fiscal solveny, it's something that we need to do, we have to do. And they knew that though it was hard, um they took the job very seriously. And there were a

053lot of conversations about um in the perfect world we could keep everything but ultimately this is really the order. Um they felt bringing the positions back. Um though ultimately we voted number one on student advisors. Um there was conversations around it being specifically at the elementary schools. So, two of those are at junior highs, but um we've heard how much the student advisors do. And then knowing as I said potentially losing the TK floating assistance like where you know to offset that um the restricted funding the student advisors could fall under the student support success block grant which I want to reiterate it only buys us two years um and even potentially the learning loss recovery block grant. Um they then voted the nurse for number two, the reading specialist for number three. Really realized

054knowing that we talked a lot about the learning loss recovery block grant for the reading specialist. Um the music teacher we have at 6 to 1.0 to bring. That's if you move forward with the option that they voted on. It is less. Um there was a meeting with the music teachers and that's why it's a thing that they thought that they may able be able to um still make it work work with point4 less and we're also looking at to see if we can still leverage any prop 28 funds to increase that too for um also to bring back the bilingual coordinator. Um there was a lot of discussions then um number six is the elementary APS and more so than um just specifically we are down to two this year that are split between

055four sites. Um if it's only going to be certain sites to have a clear number, we set a number and um two of the sites that are receiving it were under that and they still received the re support or finding a way um there was a lot of conversations about all elementary schools needing additional support. um also to bring back the LMFT, the library assistance and then the arts supplies. So this is the list that they came up with. >> So this voted on >> like the literal order. >> Yes, it was voted on one by one. >> So back to the previous meeting, December 9th, I had my sacred cows and one of them was LMFT. It was not supposed to be up on the list anyway. It is up there. And then we

056said if we were able to bring them back. So I am just looking at the list of what other folks wanted. I see everyone else's sacred cows up there. And so I would just ask that that be that be considered. I mean >> it's number seven. I had asked for it to not even be up there at all. So >> I agree. Um, we also talked about tossas instead of APS which would >> lessen the cost. >> All right. Um, so first I want to thank everyone on budget advisory. I want to thank um they spent uh just a tremendous amount of their volunteer time uh and uh I think going through probably a pretty miserable process and making very tough choices to present to us for consideration and uh create the foundation for um

057the the unfortunate budget cuts. And as uh mentioned by Amanda, um these are all positions that have survived a couple rounds of cuts uh because they are so critical to student success, to the operations of the campuses. Um and if we had the funds, uh you know, obviously these would not be cut and these are uh bad choices. But the worst choice is to not make the required cuts and be in a situation where we are one uh Trump tweet away from losing funds or one uh you know uh AI you know stockbust away from not having funds and um being in a really poor situation and really failing our students, our staff and our community. Amanda, thank you for all the work that you've put on uh put in. Thank you uh to your

058team. Um appreciate your uh immediate feedback and and and for listening to us last meeting and having one more meeting with the budget advisory to talk about the potential for reinstating positions. Um so with that, you know, I I just wanted to thank everyone. Um it is unfortunate that measure I did not pass in November. Um but that is the situation we are in and you have put in just a tremendous amount of work. Um so I just want to thank you and Matthew um and your teams for for um presenting us with different options and continuing the dialogue and listening to our feedback. Also, Amanda, could you um kind of explain what the different ratings are? So, there's positive, there's qualified, and then there's dum dum dum. >> Yes. Yes. So, um positive certification

059by the county and the state means that you will meet your financial obligation for current year and two subsequent years. And by meeting your financial obligation, that means you maintain at least 3% of unrestricted reserves. Qualified means that you may not meet your re um you may not meet your financial obligation in current or two subsequent years. Um the reason why we moved from positive to qualified is that we had not laid out in our multi-year POS projections the exact positions that we were eliminating. So we were downgraded. Um now we are working with FICMAT which is the financial fiscal crisis team um employed by the hired by the state of California um to look over our the district's financials um with the goal of making these decisions for in time for second interim where

060will we will move back into a positive qualification. Um negative certified means that you either have immediate cash flow problems. So you are cash negative or you will not meet your financial obligations in the current year or two subsequent years. And that is when um the state does take over. Anything else? Okay. All right. Is that the end of your presentation? >> Sorry. Yes, that's the end of the presentation. Any more questions? And then um attached to it is the the action items of resolution. So the resolution is only agreeing to make cuts, not what the specific cuts will be. Is that true? >> Correct. Um if you give me one second, I will um so I will not read the whole thing. Um but it says it talks about the first resolution that we

061made in July committing to the $5 million. Um then it says in response to the direction we established and held meetings the budget advisory committee has completed its work and has submitted recommendation budget reductions totaling 6,123,000 for fiscal year 2627 which are attached in an exhibit A that shows the the large pock pockets. Um and then further down it says that we are doing this to address our fiscal challenges. Um the our the committee's recommendation include the identification of certain positions proposed for elimination which are anticipated to return to the governing board for consideration and action in February as part of the district's budget development process. And whereas the governing board recognizes that timely and deliberate action is necessary to achieve structural balance, strengthen reserves, and ensure the district's long-term fiscal stability. Um that the

062governing board of Paluma City Schools hereby receives and acknowledges the budget, excuse me, budget advisory committee's recommendation. So you're acknowledging receiving the recommendation they made and acknowledging them, but the actual action will come back in February. Where will the positions to reinstate be? uh is that an action item when we uh approve the budget reductions in February or is that just something that's like a a document that we will look to after we've made the uh reductions? I think you can make a motion to add it to as exhibit B to this resolution. So it's there and then it is something that we would just continue to speak about too. >> And to Joanna's point, this is this is a recommendation from budget advisory committee. So if there's a change, hey, we can change we

063can >> change and and um >> and make the changes now before the resolution is approved for HR to to move forward. So, it would be better for us to amend this now before it goes to February 9th. >> And we would amend it by adding the recommendations to reinstate. Correct. >> Or if you decide that there's something you don't want to eliminate, >> change the order here. >> I Yeah, change the order. Or if there is something that you don't want to move forward with eliminating, you we make the decision now. and we'll make notes so when we Jason brings the he's not bringing forward something in February. >> I have two questions. Um I was on I was at budget advisory committee not as a voting member. So I've asked a lot of

064other questions. So I don't want anyone to think that just because I'm asking about two specific questions that I don't want all of these positions to be saved. um for the bilingual coordinator. What if we cut that? What is our vision for who would pick up all of that slack? Yeah. So, this is a this is a position under ed services. So, it' be a reorganization of the educational services department to pick it. I mean, we have there there's there are particular functions of this position that we have to we have to have um we'd be looking at um we're looking at potentially combining position right now. We have some some positions that are halftime. How do we combine something together to make um it it's also something we need to negotiate. We need to

065be talking with CSA about. So, it's there's certainly some work there that needs that needs to get picked up. Um, and I think it's we we're we'll be looking at kind of combining some positions to do it. So, if if we don't have the if we don't have this position moving forward. >> Okay. Thank you. And then for the LMFT, I know when we were talk about psychologists and LMFTs, we talk about their ability to bill. if we were to retain the LMFT, like what is what is the way or what is the amount that they might be able to pay their own way for a lack of a better term? So, we are just starting to kick off the CBHI fee schedule and so um we have uh feedback from other districts who are

066well into the implementation of that fee schedule. We have not yet launched that. So we don't have a definitive PCS number. What we do know is because we have a high number of LMFTs in PCS, they have the capacity to bill at a significant amount um because of the amount of um student clients that they have um and the work that they do. So um one less LMFT does mean one less person generating those funds. um we are starting with the LMFTs and then that will trickle down to our mental health associates who will then be trained on the billing trickling down to other folks in our system. Um but they are the people we're launching with >> and they can bill medical and most major >> and private insurance. >> Okay. Thank you. >>

067And so essentially the LMFT would basically pay for him or herself. >> It we have yet to see whether or not that's a possibility. And it requires a 2 to threeyear runup to collect enough reserve to be able to then actually pay for positions in the future because you have to you want to make sure you have enough money in the bank if you will, right? To be able to fund positions ongoingly. So, we're just getting started on that. So, Ellen, just to put it into a little bit of context, we look at a district not quite twice our size, but um put you know, Santa Rosa, Santa Rosa's their their billing for this. They're ahead of us as far as where the billing goes. They build for brought in revenue is about $100,000 for

068all of their billing. So, it's not like we're going to we're going to bill and so therefore we're going to pay it's going to pay for itself. $100,000 total that this is generating for Santa Rosa which district of about I don't know where they're at now 14,000 maybe something so so off I think of it more as like an offset of costs but an entire position our medical funds have been generated for many years now they are covering one LMFT who is providing IM services for students with IEPs but again that has been years of um you know acquiring or collecting that those funds over time. Well um I agree with um moving the M LMFT because you know we have such a mental health crisis. We need to have as many as we can.

069I would like to see it moved up. It's like, you know, who's your favorite child? >> Or if we um >> Oh, put that down, please. >> Or if we were able to I don't know if we can move it somewhere else. >> Can we Is there Do you mean to save it? >> Yeah. I I'm just asking. >> Yeah. So, we do as as Moralda um briefly mentioned, we do bill currently for medical um through special services. Um we do receive over I want to over $400,000 a year. Sorry, I can't remember off the top of my head. So, um last year they voted to move one LMFT into that. Um, I could go to the committee to see if um we have a committee who makes the that they vote on um anybody

070who bills to it is able to put in um to have things paid for. That's what the funds have been being used for. Um we al so we could go to the committee. I don't know if I don't know if things have to go through a committee or if the board can make the decision themselves. I would have to look into that to see >> which which committee is it? >> The medical billing. >> Okay. >> Yeah, I'm sure it has a better name than that. I just can't think of it. >> Can the nurse also be placed? >> No, we did look into that last year. Yes, on that note. So my my thought is to keep the uh recommendations and these are advisory recommendations like as is so it's clear what the budget

071advisory uh committee is um submitting to us to again lay the groundwork for the future conversations in the months ahead. Um, I think that in particular the LMFT is also a top priority for myself and I think there, you know, are potential funding uh, avenues out there. Um, I I again want to ask our our county to step up with measure O dollars to potentially um, help fund this position as they've done um, similarly at the SRJC. Um there are uh hopefully again we can ask our our friendly hospital district to potentially um as mental health is a top priority for them and there's no way like uh getting uh to uh check in with their with with students um than at school um that's the best way to reach students um so I think

072there is again potential avenues so I think at this front it is like one of the top priorities um but it So, it'll be up to us in I think in the in the months ahead depending on the formulas and and up to the district on reaching out to our partners one more time to see if we can find those additional potential grants um to the medical reimbursement. I believe you warned me quite clearly last year that uh if we were to move an LMFT, a second L MFTt into that that would drain that fund quite quickly and then we would be again this would be delaying the cut by like one one or two years but then we back >> and um anything that had been um any supplies that had been being purchased

073out of there or professional development likely would go way. So, do we have to make a decision tonight to pull some of this stuff or I thought that when we came back in February, that's when we would say, "Okay, we've we make those decisions." >> Yeah, we um can move forward tonight like this. Um even just conversate. Yeah, we can bring everything in February if there's additional information that you need. um we can continue to look at it even past if eliminations go through in February, we have all the way until May 15th to reinstate. Um and then if some magical budget, California budget happens cuz we don't no longer pay into federal funds and we just keep all of our money. Um and that happened in July, we could just open new they would

074just be new positions then. So, it's it's really, you know, it will be a constant thing. We can continue to look for different grants or private funding or once the state um adopts the new budget, we can continually bring things back. >> Yeah. And I'm not saying I'm not going to um uphold what the committee has done, but I also want to make sure that we have an open discussion and ask all of our questions and address some concerns that have come up. Um, can I ask another one? >> Yes. >> Another concern question of a few of them. Um, so I would want more information. I don't know if y'all have it now or in February about the funding source for the workbased learning coordinator. Is it from the Golden State Pathways Grant? Is

075it from somewhere else? What is what positions are are being paid out of there? um as well as if we're going to be moving the school counselors into that, what um what in their roles would change, what would be added, what would be taken out if we move them into there as well. And again, if y'all don't have all this now, it's fine. We can talk about it in February, but I just want it out there. These are just the concerns that I have. um especially if we have um lack of support for students who aren't being reached. We know that and is it still on today's meeting the the SARC reports? >> Yeah, I can't remember. >> We are seeing that our um graduation rate is declining in our district and then when we

076break it down by demographics, it's declining for certain subgroups as well. So that is very concerning. to me if we're having um lack of those academic supports and systems of belonging and things like that and I think that's it for now. >> I can bring that back to the February meeting. It I I have some of the information off the top of my head but if that works. Okay. >> So I also have a question about the counselors. So, we have four right now, let's say, at one school. Um, and so we're talking about losing two counselors and bringing in two new ones, or we're talking about having assigning two of the counselors we already have to a different type of job. >> Essentially, that it would be changing changing the job. So, but in

077order to do that, you would need to eliminate or eliminate two positions and then create two new positions. >> Jason, you had something you want. >> Yeah, I just wanted to follow up. I think it was if I understood your question, Ellen, about about um bringing about can we make more decisions, you know, talk about this more and make more decisions later. I do want to also caution the board that many of the positions are classified positions. They require a lot of time to inform our employees to do bumping rights. So, we won't be able to I I was hoping to be bringing stuff forward to you at the next meeting. So we have time to work with our employee and with our labor partners um productively if we are looking to make cuts at

078the March meeting that won't be just to be clear like like the more especially around our classified positions there it's very complicated when we get into that and we want to do the right thing by our employees so that when I hear like hey can we talk more about it may just let you know that makes me a little nervous if we get too far out. Yeah, I I definitely we I know we can't wait till March. We have to do it in February. I know that. I don't like it, but I know it. I just want to uh second uh Joanna's comments on the career pathways and supporting our CTE programs. And um there has been tremendous growth and new new programs at the county level um with CTE Sonoma of trying to get

079folks into internships and developing uh partnerships with local businesses. Fantastic opportunities. Um and we definitely will need administrative support uh to assist with that. But with that being said, um just I think increased clarity on the different grants to fund some of our CTE programs and the potential reshuffleling I think is not clear to um the board and to the public. So I think we need need to spend some time not necessarily this very second, but like spend some time um being clear about what that reshuffle is going to look like. we'll put put something together >> and that would be for the February 9th meeting. Okay, that would be yes highly helpful. Um, and this is not part of the resolution. So, we do not have to worry about this tonight is my understanding.

080>> Okay. and we can talk about maybe getting some more information on restricted funding that might be able to cover some of this, you know, even if it's for two years. Um I it we'll see. Yeah. Um, you reminded me of some a a hard but good conversation we had during budget advisory because as we were building this list back, it came up, well, if we know we have this restricted funding right now that we're not spending, why can't we just take them off the list now? Um, and the reason why we need to move forward with going through the elimination process and then waiting until the governor's budget may to bring that back is because right now we're just over our 3% reserves. Um, we have not finished out this year. We have um

081um potential increases to this year. one catastrophic event would wipe us out and take us under our 3% and we could if we had to take things that are being charged to this year that qualify for these restricted funds and in an emergency move um because we talked I'll just say reading specialists say they were all out of the general fund or unrestricted we could move them all in to the restricted funding to free up general fund dollars. That's not our hope to do. But at this point, keeping the the restricted funding held for now is really our only savings account that we have at this point. And that's why the recommendation is to move forward with the eliminations and then bring them back once we know that we will be able to use the

082funding in years out. Is that clear to everybody? >> Any other questions? >> Yes, I guess it's more for my fellow board members and the the talk of the like $70,000 that's going to school sites. Is that something we want to consider addressing or figuring out how like I would always rather have a full-time staff? I know that it's hard to be a 0.5 or 6 FTE staff and, you know, have to pay for more into your health insurance and deal with all those things. So, in my mind, not knowing all of the information, I would rather have 3.0 FTE reading specialists and have three full-time people. Even if it means it's a little harder to split up exactly what school gets what reading specialist, it would mean more coverage and better for staff. I

083do I do want to point out that that's that was a one-time funding for this year alone. We do we're not anticipating carrying the $70,000 forward. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> I see. And >> so that's already out out of the budget for next year. And yeah, and Caitlyn um I also um asked Matthew about this um in our December meeting, January meeting about how that's being implemented >> and the answer was for the first semester. It wasn't really it was the planning and prep because this is a new program or how to do it correctly and uh I believe some of these after school um kind of uh sessions are just now coming online. So it's something >> depending on the school depending on some schools had it started earlier. >> Every school

084okay and also every single school site is different um but I think that is something that we would like to track and continue to see um how attendance um you know is going and I think feedback from both the school sites and parents. Um but I would like to track that quite closely um in the months ahead. Although the email we got from Gloria detailing some of the benefits they were seeing improvement um I think it was in first and second grade um I don't I didn't really memorize it but it just it sounded like things were progressing and kids were improving in their reading their their dibbles or whatever it is. So it sounded like a really positive email to me. Yeah. And it depended on the school when it when it got started.

085Some some schools had it started earlier, some took a little bit longer getting this. So after school with our struggling, we were trying to target uh yeah, really that first through third potentially fourth grade group after school paying paying our our our current teachers to do some of the some of the reading intervention after school. Um so yeah, different different results. I mean, you start in something new and say, "Let's let's get it going." I mean, some schools have been doing this for quite a while using different funding sources. Um, but not all of our schools, so it took a little while to get it started, >> but it seemed very positive to me. >> But it'll be wrapping up at the end of this school year, >> correct? >> No matter what. >> Yep.

086So moving um if the resolution with >> well in other words Caitlyn sorry the funding is already is is not we're not pushing that same funding forward for the following year. I mean there could always be something that changes or we get additional funding and say oh this was successful let's let's bring it back again. But at this point we're not it's not built into the budget for next year. >> All right. Um unless there's any more discussion. >> So the um Oh, Amanda, sorry. >> Yeah, sorry. Um in order for Jason to move forward um with what he needs to do, starting with the first uh excuse me, February meeting the parcel tax. Um we gave on two of them, three options on each and highlighted which one the budget advisory recommended. Um it

087would be great if if we could if we can find out if that is the ones that you guys would like to move forward with or a different option. >> Can we take the first um uh high school option one parcel tax C option one two or three option one was the uh Can you go back? was the uh budget advisory committee recommendation. >> And >> here it is. >> Yes. >> Point of order. >> This would be a uh since we're not voting on specific positions this evening, this would be like a straw poll to provide guidance to Jason and the kitchen cabinet >> just to get a sense of how we're all feeling. should Okay. So, I can ask each of you which option or do we I'll just say uh let's uh

088all of those who would like option one to just kind of say yes. >> Yeah. >> Any uh what about option two? There you go. Any option two? Okay. Option three. Are we all agreed on option one? >> Okay. So, no preference. And then there's three yeses. And I'm not sure if you said anything. >> Um, yeah, I would say I'm in Joanna's camp of I these are all >> I thought you wanted to follow the advisory. >> Well, yes, that is what I'm like. I don't. Yes, I would say that. >> Thank you. >> Okay. So, for the parcel tax d option three was the recommended. >> Yeah. elementary >> and then so all of those who would like the recommended option three >> that >> I would go with the budget advisory recommendation

089>> budget advisory >> uh I do not have enough information to overturn the recommendations of the budget advisory commission at this point committee I I would I mean I like option two the best, but just sounds like we're staying our preference. So, yeah, that's >> okay. >> I have to say I'm not in disagreement. >> Okay. And then our last one would be Is that enough for you to go for? Yes. So, and then for >> the last one, there's only one option like have to keep bringing that one up. >> Okay. All right. All right. So, we will call the question. I need a a resol um I'm sorry. Um an um I move to approve. >> Thank you. >> I second. >> All right. All those in favor of approving resolution 2526-25 affirming

090commitment to implement budget reductions identified for fiscal year 2026-27. All >> in favor? I. I. Any >> opposed? All right. The resolution passes. Okay, let's go on. Um, acceptance of the 2425 measure E and measure C bond audit. Thank you. This is an annual audit. Um, our bonds are audited separately from our district financials and so um, no findings. Everything was found to be in order. Um, once accepted by the board, this will go to the oversight committee for their approval and then they will bring back their annual report. >> Okay. I need a uh a motion. I move to accept the audit findings. Just the audit. Yeah, the the the lack of findings from the audit. >> I second. >> Okay. All those in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? >> Okay. Uh the

091measure pass. The uh acceptance passes. Do we need a break? >> Yeah, we >> Okay. I just want to um >> five minutes. Okay, we'll break for five minutes. Oh my. So scary. >> Hello. Welcome back. >> Yeah, >> Dave and the robot overlord. All right, moving on for educational services, school accountability report cards, updates 2025. These are action items. >> These are action items. Um Gloria is not with us. Gloria nor Lan are with us this evening. So I'm just going to go through um kind of describe this arcs. We do have our principles. We have um a couple two I see two three principles here in in the audience and we have some on Zoom as well. So, if there are questions by a specific school, want to get you guys answers. Annually,

092each school is required to submit the school account accountability report card, the SARCS as they're known. The purpose of the report card is to provide parents and the community with important information about each school and a way for schools to report on their progress in achieving their goals. Much like the school plan for student achievement, the SIPs. Though many of the components of the SARC are reflective of the current year, some data, such as the CASP data, are from previous school years or the most readily available data. Um, the public may also use the SARKC to evaluate and compare schools on a variety of indicators. When new raw data becomes available, the state may make updates to the SARKC. SARKC is be approved by the school board upon which the district will notify parents of

093the purpose and where they may obtain the SARKC for each schools. recommendation is to approve the attached school accountability report cards for all of our sites. >> Thank you. Um do we have um comments on the SRS? >> Right, Ellen. So, I didn't really compare all of them, but one thing I noticed about the suspension rates is they tend to be largely male, largely Hispanic Latino, largely eelss, and largely socioeconomic. So, that bothers me. I don't understand. are they being I I don't want to accuse anybody of picking on people or but it just it's it's concerning to see those those um rates. >> Yeah. Thank you, Ellen. And um those are metrics that we need to continue to talk about and to elevate and to discuss what is it that's happening, what supports are

094needed and and talking through our disciplinary action, making sure that um it's just that and and what is happening right with a particular student group such that they have disproportionate rates of of discipline, right? Um and so those are um conversations that we continue to have as administrative as an administrative team, but also in the moment um being able to take those equity pauses and thinking about what other means of correction do we have? What other things can we do beyond just school exclusion? Well, it just makes me think, are all kids treated equally when they misbehave, or are some kids taking harsher punishments than others? That's where I that's where my mind jumps to. So, I don't know what the answer is, but I just find it really disturbing. No, I was just going

095to say that the um we have our uh PCS administrator discipline handbook that goes through what the other means of correction are what and talking through the importance of progressive discipline, right? So that we're not um our our we aren't disproportionately um excluding kids from school from a particular group. And so going back to that document, going back to what are the options that we can take and that we are employing other means of correction that we're doing everything that we can on upfront to teach to correct to provide those other means of correction before resorting to that. So I think it's we need to put a microscope of on it, right? Um even further. >> Yeah. because the schools what I noticed was I looked at the elementary schools and so I to me

096ex suspending a kid from elementary school just from a teaching point of view and a humanity point of view seems wrong. There's got to be other ways besides kicking a kid out of school who may be in third grade. I mean that just doesn't make any sense to me. So that was my issues. >> Joanna, >> yeah, I I uh I'm on the same page as Ellen. It's not just the graduation, sorry, it's not just the suspension rates, but like the um academic achievement rates as well as the graduation rates are concerning when they are disagregated by race and by gender. And so I just wonder what are those conversations? We have this conversation every single year and we're not seeing anything different with our Hispanic students, our unhoused students, socioeconomically disadvantaged students, English learners.

097So I guess what are the conversations? I guess I would want to ask the principles when you look at these numbers and see these outcomes like what is the response in how are we going to move forward like action >> could I add on to that a little bit >> go ahead >> and also how can we um have that in your sarkc so that those steps are outlined so that we know that at least there's a recog nition that this is not great at all and um and so that you recognize that and that you're going forward with steps maybe you know to improve somewhat so that I mean I I I agree with all of it. I haven't seen any change in anything. Um, I've just seen seen it go down and we

098there just has to be some interventions that are significant and what are those interventions going to be and our job as a board is to hold the district accountable to this and and for our students and um I know it's terrible in the midst of you know cutting all of our support systems but we also our number one priority are are students and we have to know that that this SARC isn't just paperwork, you know, it's it's it's people's lives, it's children's lives, it's their future, and it's it's all of ours. And so, um, I just want to see some change. I mean, we all know this, and it's really hard. I don't know what the answer is, but to at least have some outline of what could possibly change. Anyway, I agree with you.

099>> Are you asking a specific do you want to hear from the some of the principles on this? >> Yeah. >> Um, yeah, I would like Well, I mean, I don't I know that we keep changing the Sarkcs in order to make it more accountable in some way, but I didn't feel that when I was reading through them this time. So I guess and uh I know I have a specific question about the Cinema Mountain in Carpey and why once again there's no data on the CASP. There's no cast data >> um and their chronic absenteeism is very high. But the main thing is that there's just nothing on their pass. And so >> because their their numbers are too small to disagregate into subgroups. I think that's >> Well, we don't even have the

100the general. >> Hey, Dave, can you >> Oh, great. I was going to ask if you could check and see who's who's on. Yeah, >> Justin, can you do you want to can you address the our principal from Mountain Carpey DM address the um the question about the cast data? Can you hear me >> online? We can hear you. >> Okay. Can anybody can anybody else hear me so that I can answer the question? >> Justin, one moment. The audio in the boardroom is distorted. Give me a moment to see if I can switch it. Was it coming out okay over there? >> No. >> Try speaking again, please. The translation looks looks good. >> Well, then while we're waiting for Justin, are there other questions that that can be addressed? >> Uh, before you

101do that, can you hear me? >> Still a problem. Right. >> So that's the difference is that you have the SPS and you have the SAR. >> Okay. So, okay. Would the SIPA also talk about percentages so that the school is majority white, but there's no white suspensions? >> That's that's a little disturbing. >> I can get the information about some of Carpadium after and send it to you guys because I I don't >> Thank you, Justin. And I know that you're trying to get it >> and I I believe it's because the at least the disagregation their numbers are too small. They're 25 students. So you can't you can't disagregate. But it doesn't answer the question why we don't have the just the overall score. So it's okay. I I'll get it. >> Well,

102the elementaryaries I was looking at I I looked at Valley Vista Public Waldorf. I looked at Grant and there was one other school I looked at and I'm not I don't remember which one it was. >> Valley Vista I mean Public Waller this will be their first year so I don't know how much data they're going to have. >> Well, they had suspension data so just from being like a student in high school and actually kind of seeing these things up close. I don't know if it's as much as the suspension or more of the reporting aspect of it. This is just kind of my opinion. Um, so basically I've seen, let's take a really minor instance for five star. You go over your timer and using the bathroom. I've seen one student repeatedly, he's

103wellliked by the teacher, well liked by the peers and he repeatedly goes four minutes over and stretches it to six minutes over the timer. He gets back, oh, where were you? Oh, nothing. Right? And then lets it go. And then you say and see an exact same student, maybe not as close with the teacher, just kind of lays down low, right? does his own thing or her thing and then they're they get chew their butt gets chewed out saying like where were you like this is not okay so and then they report it. So, I feel like the difference is who are the kids getting reported, not like who is actually doing it, but who is getting reported for it. And I feel like that's something I've definitely experienced in CAS. Um, I've seen a

104lot of students get away with things that they really truly shouldn't have, but the just the teacher just kind of let it go and it was just, oh, they're being funny, less of, you know, a student compared to maybe they weren't their favorite and seeing how that punishment was for them. >> Thank you for that. That makes a lot of sense. Excellent. >> And I would just have to mention um we were mostly at the oh my gosh blinking the adult education graduation last night. And there was a student who graduated and I've known her since she was in seventh grade. And I did not know until last night that she never graduated from high school. And I asked her why and it turns out it was like a social emotional issue that just like

105threw her off track. And I it just made me think of all of the other students and I couldn't help but notice and I know that they're not all from PCS, but were any of them white? I mean, they're it's like all I feel like we are continuing to fail our students of color and our students of color are continuing to drop out of our schools. Like when we look at the graduation rate, even though it increased overall, it has it's still way lower for our students of color, our English learners, socioeconomically disadvantaged. We're seeing these huge disparities, and then we hope to catch them. What it's been, she was supposed to graduate in 2021, five years later, we hope to catch them in adult ed. And so it just makes me also want to

106like I I want to do like an empathy interview with her and be like what happened? Why why when this thing happened did it set you off course and you dropped out of school? But then it also makes you think about all of the kids in school right now like Jessica is saying I keep calling you Jessica. Is that because I want to call you Samantha? >> Cuz that's your mom's name, right? Samantha. >> My my sister's name is Samantha. >> Your sister Samantha. Okay. So I know I know your older I'm like okay I'm calling her Jessica. Is that her name? I'm sorry. Um, if I call you Samantha, that's why. Sorry. So, I'm Thank you. That's So, I'm thinking about all of the students that like you're talking about and who continue to

107feel marginalized and like they don't belong and and then we see it reflected here and it's like what are we doing? like what can we do now to catch them so that we don't see them five years later on that stage in adult education which I'm so grateful for the adult education program and I wish that we didn't have to have it. So anyway, >> well and just think she had a support system >> that she could rely on that she spoke about eloquently. >> Yeah. >> And um and so you know many don't have that and that's one of the reasons that they drop out. So, um, yeah. Well, thank you. That that was good to I I do confuse them, I think, sometimes. Okay. Any other discussion of the SARKC reports and updates?

108Something that we can give. >> Yes. Yeah, >> um, one thing that I was interested in with Kennallorth and in particular in Kennallorth because of the different theater schools and school districts was tracking and being able to identify. I think one of the things that where again we are failing as the larger of the school districts I don't know if it's failing is correct but like better coordination with the feeder schools on um you interventions and testing and methods and it just is one of those things where I would just wonder if some of the uh the data is being picked up of like are there particular schools that are not translating well or adjusting well to to Kennorth and is that one of any potential issues um that we see um and if there's

109anything that we can do as a school district to work with that with the other districts or the feeder schools uh to for early interventions um and and better coordination. Um and so I just don't know if we have that data or we're tracking datas on the elementary schools they attended and their test scores you know continuation growth or you know stagnation. I mean there there are certainly okay the transfer from the feeder district into pend city schools and what does that look like and knowing where where students are coming from it's certainly an area for growth for us I mean and it's not just Kennorth it's also pedalman Jr. Kennallorth has got you if Juan Old Adobe >> Pedalman Jr. also has >> Oh, yeah. Cinear Liberty, you got D Rock, you have um

110>> Cineabar. Yeah, >> Cineabar. >> So, there's just too many districts, too many districts in this in this community. But yes, I mean I think I think about you know we talk we've been talking about common assessments for how long and getting it in our district is one thing and then looking at okay look at the feeder districts how do we work together to make sure that we're we're teaching the same standards we're working through the same problems and concerns social emotional curriculum why are we using one curriculum in other districts I mean especially if they're all coming together in seventh grade um there's a lot of of areas there are a lot areas where we could be uh I think we could be much much more intentional about how we're instructing and working with

111students. It's the lang I mean think about the even just language that we use so that when they come to seventh grade it's not >> um it's not there's not such a mix and a different of difference of you know oh this this student you must have gone to this school because they don't have this >> I I think there's a huge area for growth there once we get our own >> uh house in order anything you want to add to that >> I I will say I know in conversations with for example example kenner staff I think especially the counseling team teachers they're I think they're because the feeder districts are coming over PCS there has been a lot of they have figured out a lot of what the feeder schools are bringing versus

112our schools that are coming from PCS so I think they very much track on that but they really try and figure out okay once they're all together at Kennallworth where do we go from there um and so it can be tricky because there's only so much time to be able to do that kind of articulation. We're trying to articulate obviously within the PJ the PCS and the secondary district um within our own system and then I think they do everything that they can to obtain information from those feeder districts so that they can create some coherence and alignment once all of the students come together at Kennallworth. But it's it's an evolving kind of issue. >> Okay. Um thank you for that. And um just as we are, you know, overlapping the budget conversations and

113there's been a lot of uh you know, comment from parents and from staff on equity issues and um again, you know, I know that you have uh folks here have a longer history of reviewing these um than I, but you know, continue, you know, McDall, you know, tension on support services, ensuring that they have the resources. Um, and uh, there there's one kind of like red flag in particular. I mean, there's several, but you know, looks like the science test score or this, you know, was almost completely, you know, it crashed like it looks like only one person met um, McDow uh, met state standard out of a class. So, it's just don't know what happened there. Uh but you know again potential additional intervention and followup from um superintendent and and and others. >>

114I think Ryan brings up the point again that um like are we using this as a tool or is it just a compliance piece and or is the SIPA meant to be the tool? But then the SIPA doesn't come to us until March or June. So then that feels like it's too late for this class of students. So I just wonder when we look at this, how are we actually using this? Right. So if I'm seeing that, then that if that alarms me, then what's the response I guess? Yeah. Yeah. Sipsa and we'll be bring we do bring this data as well now so that we're looking at these things. So your questions will really help all of us bring back to the team and school. >> And that in the past or is this

115something that's new or >> I know >> I think you've always done it like is the intention right of of like the data to have it in the s that says to inform right. Sorry, someone else was gonna >> Hey, >> yeah, we look at this data. Sorry, >> then we can have that >> because they can't hear you in the Zoom world. >> Get it. Okay. Um, we do look at the SARKC um data and make decisions based on that. But we get this data even earlier um like test scores and things. We look at it starting in August with teachers, with advent teams, with counselors, and we make plans that are in more internal um all the time. We're we're adjusting to the information as it comes to us as quickly as we

116can. Um it's just that the SARKC is required to be turned in at a certain time during the school year and and be approved at a certain time during the school year. And it seems like it comes late, but it's not to say that at the school level, we aren't already adjusting based on this information that we learn. I mean, my first staff meeting with my with my teachers before the school year even starts, we're looking at test test score data from the year before. >> Okay. So then to answer Ellen's previous question, can you talk to us about the process when you see these numbers and you see these disparities, >> how are you responding to them? >> Um, yeah, absolutely. So you mean more of the discipline stuff or the test score stuff?

117>> I think all of it. >> All of it. >> As much as you're willing to speak to. >> Absolutely. Um so the test score stuff we we take on more with the teacher level because those are our instructors, right? So we're looking at where we saw growth, why we might have seen growth or not growth, which student groups are historically not seeing growth. And at CASA, we saw growth across the board. Was actually really really excited about our test scores this year. um we got all of our student groups up except for our students with disabilities. And so many of our discussions at staff meetings, data meetings, um every meeting we're talking about our students with disabilities because that historically at CASA is the group that's not seeing the lift that the rest of

118our student groups are seeing. Our ELS made fantastic growth this year. Like really, really great growth um in all levels, including in science. like they really killed it in their test scores last year. Um, but our students with disabilities are is the one group that I continue and I continue to worry about. And so that's where a lot of our conversations are um at a teacher level, at a counselor level, and at an admin level. And then our discipline, it's been it's been a roller coaster of a year. And when we look at suspension data, we I feel like I don't have the numbers in front of me. Um, those SIPs were written weeks ago. Um, but there's only a few things that that I will authorize a suspension for at CASA and it's you

119get physical with another person, you get in a fight, you're going to get suspended. You bring drugs onto my campus, you're going to get suspended. And if you and then there's there's there's some levels of harassment if it becomes ongoing and pervasive. But beyond that, we try as much as possible to use other means of correction for the first, for the second, for the third time until it becomes a point where the ongoingness of it is beyond that OMC's effectiveness, the other means of corrections effectiveness. So, we use the discipline matrix that the that's supported by our um student services. And um I confer with Esmeralda when something's not so cut and dry. She gets phone calls from me or my APs all the time. I'm asking for feedback about what seems appropriate to her

120based on the information that we have. Um, and it's been a heavy year of suspensions at cost. I'm not going to lie. We've had a lot of rather large incidents um that we're trying to respond to in a way that is appropriate and and fair. So, I I I think that that that's great and I appreciate that hard work that you're doing, but I also going back to Jessica's um comments is that how are these reported? Who is reporting? Uh how how do you find out? I mean, if it's not a fight in the quad, >> right? Um then you know is there some kind of possible you know favoritism that's being operating that would account for some of these numbers? >> Yeah. And then how do you look at that? Are you looking at

121that in terms of how these things are reported? We we do we look every month we put out a discipline um we look at our our numbers from Swiss and Aries and we run reports to see who's who's getting the different discipline um referrals um from teachers from admin depending on how they they get into the system. But we do look at those numbers. Um it's been interesting for us. It it's actually been more illuminating seeing which grade levels are getting the most um referrals. um that's been more disproportionate at CASA than the um than looking at racial impacts or or e and and that's also saying that at CASA we're more than 50% um Latinx. We're at 55ish um at about 40 40% white. So for our school it actually makes sense that our

122numbers would be more like that matches that would match more equally our our proportions at site. Um, that's not to say that that that's the case across our district because I know that it's not. Um, but we we do look at all of those things and and I there's absolutely a conversation to be had about how teachers are bringing forth um their referrals. I can't be in every one of our 76 classrooms all at the same time. I have to trust that my teachers are being fair and we're always having conversations about equity and making sure that our discipline response is fair and equal. And I can't guarantee that it always is. And I can respond to it when it comes to my attention. And I depend on my student body to bring it to

123me when it's not fair. And I get emails from my students all the time and it's wonderful. I love that they feel comfortable to reach out to me directly. I got one just actually just yesterday expressing a some something that happened in a science classroom that she didn't think was okay. And so now we're dealing with it. So we have stop it. We have, you know, lots of ways for students to communicate when something's happening. And we take it seriously every time that it does come up. And we're always looking for ways to get better. >> Thank you. I know. >> Hard work. And what were you? >> So, so I hear that that um we may have made gains because I do see again we made a gain in the overall graduation rate at

124CASA for example, but I don't know if I could celebrate only 73% of the homeless students graduated from CASA and 74% of English learners did. So, I think it's if it went up, that's great. And that is still a huge gap between um the 97% of white students who graduated versus 72% of homeless students. So then again, we're in DA for these students. So then what are we doing to support these students? They're not graduating. They're dropping out of high school. Um, so yeah, I I guess it just I'm not satisfied that even if that went up, that's to me because like I have to look at my own numbers like as a county employee and I'm like facing the reality too of like looking at fostering homeless youth numbers going up and down like

125okay so something must have worked, something else didn't work. I'm not going to be satisfied with that bit of growth, especially when we look at compared to um our white students. So, yeah, that that's all. >> Good. Thank you. >> Ryan, did you have something? Uh >> oh, >> I have Okay. Um, one of their Matthew I think uh followup or explanation or it doesn't make sense when uh but like at Penro Elementary the split between boys and girls or male female uh it's I haven't I did not see this at any other elementary school in our district this kind of split on English or um reading scores. Um the split was 62% of of uh female met state standards and 33% of male. The math scores are equivalent, science scores are there's a little

126gap, but can we see if like are only our female, you know, uh students signing up for reading specialist sessions or being intervened or what is that is a huge huge gap that I would I'd be interested in seeing if there's that's being addressed or intervention or or just again like there's some sort of um lack of followup or with some of the reading uh specialists or reading intervention um at Pennr. >> Well, I'll follow up and get some more information about that. Interesting. >> Can I just say one more thing? U is Erica still here? >> I'm I'm want to clarify. I'm No, no, no. You have to come back up. I'm I'm not uh I just want to make it clear. I'm not just picking on CASA, but you happen to stand up.

127So, I'm using But I do want to say that this is a PCS problem and it's not just your problem or the principles, right? But it's not the principal's home. This is all of our issue. Like, these are all of our students that are we're seeing these different rates for. So, I don't want you to think I'm just picking on on your school. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Thank you. Anything else? or I call the question. I need a motion. >> Okay. Wait a sec. I have a question. So, by voting I'm sorry. By voting, are we just voting to accept these? >> Yeah. >> Um even and then the issues that we brought up with are dealt with separately. Is that the way it works? >> I'm sorry. >> These are Yes. These are these

128are the SRCs. I mean, these are it's an annual report card that we're given. So it's to I mean I think it's >> an annual requirement to present >> requirement to present and approve these the SRCs. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. Then I move to approve. >> I second. >> All those in favor? >> I opposed. All right. The SARS pass. Uh on to Spanish for Spanish speakers curriculum adoption. Um I believe Matthew is going to talk about this. >> Okay. So this is a um new curriculum. This has been um needed for quite some time actually. It a committee of teachers representing our secondary schools participated in the review selection and piloted new a new Spanish for Spanish speakers instructional materials beginning in March of 2025. After completing the pilot of the

129selected materials in this school year, a consensus decision-making process was conducted to make the final determination of which materials to adopt. Through this process, the teachers reached consensus and are recommending G um Galleria by Vista Higher Learning for adoption. The instructional materials adoption is a seven-year adoption. Print textbooks will be purchased uh for use this spring, but student licenses will be provided for free for the remainder of the 2526 school year. The 7-year adoption period for licenses will begin in the 2627 school year. It's a it's a new Spanish for Spanish speakers curriculum that was consensus decision from our from our teachers, Spanish teachers. >> And this is for all uh grade levels. Um I it's a it's secondary. >> Yeah, I think secondary. >> Yeah. >> Right. Any questions? >> Yeah. When was the

130last adoption? When did Has it been a long time coming or >> about 10 at least 10 years? Yeah. I'm not sure the exact date about at least 10 years. >> Any others? Okay. Motion. I move to approve. >> Second. >> A second. >> Um, all those in favor? >> I. >> All those opposed? Motion passes. Overnight field trip requests. >> So, we have three five uh overnight field trip requests. We have uh Kasa Grande and Penel High both their their varsity cheer teams. Cherry Valley going to a Shakespeare festival and camping in Castle Craigs. Penro doing their annual sixth grade outdoor education and the pedal high French language students which had our our teacher was here last at the last meeting to talk through she sent an email um to the French exchange student

131program um with Miss uh with Miss Barker Lo and those are the those are the trips any >> I just wanted u the French teacher to know >> yes that um you know, first of all, it's one of the lower costs of our field trips that are listed. And um she did a wonderful job explaining to us um what the program was, that it was an exchange program that they're starting up again. after Madame um had passed away a few years ago, the the program kind of ended. And so she's trying to reinstate it with her buoyant, very positive personality and um my own daughter was a student of Madame's and this is like an incredible opportunity. She went on to graduate with a French degree. She she studied in France and you know so

132she studied a French king. >> That's right. >> So anyway, I just um I I had no reservations about um approving this. I don't know how other people feel, but um you know, she went overboard to try to explain the importance of it and I really appreciate her work on that. >> Yeah. Did she explain it to you? I mean it's an incredible opportunity to bring some students from France to Pedal Mahai and Pedal Mahai to France to really strengthen the the the ties. So yeah, >> you were actually an exchange student. >> not in this program, but yeah, a different program. I was in the Rotary program. Yeah. >> Yeah. I had my hesitancy about the lack of fundraising and the idea that not all kids could afford it. My daughter was also um

133a student of Madame's and she was able to go to France. Um and we were lucky enough to be able to pay for it. Um what swung me was that she talked about looking in, you know, the benefits that even the kids who aren't going will receive and also her realization that she probably does need to do some fundraising um in the future so that more kids can participate. And I really appreci that that was my hesitancy and I I appreciated her clarifying that. So I have no problem. >> Any other questions about any of the field trips? All right, we need a motion. >> I move to approve the field trip requests. Second. >> All those in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? All right, the motion passes. All right, we are done with

134our action items. We go on to discussion and the first one is spring board member office hours. >> This is really a topic for for the the five of you to discuss. In years past, we've done each school site having um office hours. this year this this fall we tried um more like some on the west side some on the east side trying to make it as poss um I know some board members can make the office hours you can only have two board members at a time they've been sparsely attended so the question really is just getting some guidance for future community engagement activities how do we want to see the office hours roll out correct >> and scheduled >> I Um, I think the office hours are really important. I don't always enjoy

135them. There's some difficult questions asked. Um, and I don't know what the answer is to get them to be better attended. Um, I do know I had some office hours uh with Caitlyn and we were there for almost the two hours and nobody came and it was getting dark. So, we went home and then I was contacted by someone who got there probably 2 minutes after we left and I just met her privately. We had coffee. But um I think it's how do we publicize them and really encourage the community to show up and how do we make them understand that just because we're at McDow and they don't have any kids there, they can still come there to talk to us. So, I think that's the that's the issue is public publicity and letting

136people know that no matter where their kid goes to school, we're board members for the whole district and and so they can come talk to us anywhere. >> I think it was Bree's idea to really tie it to existing community events and I think that's a way better idea. Um, I do think we still being able to like carve out a physical space at those events is really key. Um, but I do think, you know, doing it at the diia de los muertos or um the culture nights or whatever is happening then everyone's already on campus and we can then we get to see the campus event. Um because sometimes when I do go to the events, you know, I go and try and interact with people, but people are doing their own thing, so

137I don't want to interrupt and be like, "Hi, I'm a board member." Like, "Can I ask you questions about your school?" >> Um, so f but I think tying it to being at those events would be key. And it doesn't necessarily need to be for two hours. It can, you know, >> sure >> do a half hour at the beginning or something. Um, >> yeah. Yeah, and I do want to share the feedback in the past. Was it well advertised? these >> sorry um the feedback we received from board members in the past were were these well advertised and so for this fall we did a full >> there's so much >> marketing I mean I actually had a couple parents reach out and say this is a lot um >> which is fine >>

138but I didn't feel that we maximized >> the advertising piece and we didn't see a ton of results from that and so um my suggestion I had made to um Trusty Quinn was maybe we tie it to where our families already are but with a carved out space. So >> and and perhaps we can do it where we have instead of instead of two hours all at once, we do maybe a half hour at the beginning of the event, a half hour during the event and that way more board members can participate. And I think when we first had the idea for office hours when three of us came in, it was because there wasn't a lot of communication from the district and there wasn't that there wasn't parent square at the time. So there

139wasn't that like now I feel like no one is saying the district doesn't I mean certain things for sure but no one is like oh I never get emails from my kids school or I never get messages. Um so it really is a different landscape than it was. So I definitely don't think we need 17 sets of office hours every semester like in the beginning we were very ambitious and and did it we made it happen for six years but >> so do we want to target you tell me do you want to target a couple events we put a couple together on a calendar and >> I think it three to five >> events perfect >> if they can be spread out throughout the semester that's ideal but obviously >> okay >> events happen

140when events happen Maybe open houses. I know back to school nights wouldn't work because the parents are on schedules, but open houses would be a perfect time. >> Great. >> And have it at a time so that you know a lot of times because I don't work, you know, I can go to to most of them, but it just becomes Ellen and me. And so, um, you know, just try to do it somehow. I know that we do the 7:30 in the morning, which Jess, I think I think actually hypothetically depending the site back to school nights could work. So for sorry for Kasa Grande, we do um Carnival Deasa which is an hour and a half before it actually starts. So what you could do is you could Thank you. You could carve out

141a time before that when parents are already there, they're getting food and everything and you can I don't know if you want to like get the NMU or whatever it might be and then you could have like a question there before it initially starts and well everyone's already there for the like um elementary middle levels. I'm not really sure but I'm pretty sure Pendleum also does the same thing around that and you could have anyone come and kids are also welcome at these events too. So if they have concerns for an elementary school or something like that that their kids already there for they can already ask that as well. We love to hear from students. So if students are there already, it would be great. >> Yeah. And I would say like at the

142elementary level like we could show up to like the fun run and have like a table and just again and people again if it's not the correct place for a longer conversation, they will have our contact. They put a face to who is there. Um but you know big school plays you know something like that but just being being aware of that. Um yeah. >> Okay. We'll put together three to five events for the spring and >> that we saw those thousand cards that I got. >> Oh yeah the business cards. >> The business cards I always forget to take with me everywhere. >> Okay. So do you have enough information? Did we all? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Good. All right. So, we go on. Jason, Williams settlement quarterly uniform complaint report for October through

143December 31st. >> Yes. I'm so glad to share with you the Williams report for the second quarter and we had no complaints. >> Thank you. Uh okay. So then now we have discussion of administr administrative regulation 1312.3 uniform complaint procedures. >> Yeah. So that's me as well. >> Oh that's you. >> So um oftentimes we bring policies to you and we attach the administrative regulations and you usually you're approving policies um and you're not the administrative regulations aren't usually approved by the board. So I'm we're not changing the policy. I brought the policy to you last year. Um we just were looking at uh at changing the administrative regulation. I wanted to just bring it to you for discussion. The the big picture is that that this uh uniform complaint procedure is specific to 24

144different types of complaints that are outlined really legal type of complaints. Uh it is not your general complaint like against an employee or something that's happening at the school. It's much more formal and the law, how we're supposed to do this is there's a 60-day timeline and then if it goes through the district process through that 60 days and the person that complains still feels uh that they didn't have the result that was correct or that they appreciated that they could appeal to the CDE. Now, within that 60 days, we have two options that CSBA recommends. One is that we do uh a 60-day timeline that includes 30 days where we investigate and submit a report and then it gives them 30 days to appeal to you as the board and for you to then

145make judgment on the district's decision and then if they don't like your decision they could still appeal to the CDE. The other one is just to have the district render their decision in 60 days and then if that was not if they didn't like that then they would appeal to the CDE. And we're finding that with the the types the amount and the types of complaints that we're getting, especially if we need to uh get legal support with them, 30 days is absolutely not adequate. And so we're we wanted to bring for discussion the idea of of changing the administrative regulation to that second recommendation of CSBA, which is to have the district render a decision. And if if it was not um if it was the complainant didn't feel that it was appropriate or

146disagreed, they could appeal to the CDE. So Jason, as long as I've been on this board, as far as the Williams complaint, we've never had one. >> Are they mostly about not having enough textbooks or >> the Williams is, but this one is more about I mean this one, if we look at the board policy, it's a different the board policy. I'll give you just a a few like there's things like very specific things just a few samples like accommodations for pregnant and parenting students adult education programs after school education and safety programs. If you get down into number 10 it's discrim discrimination, harassment, intimidation or bullying in district programs. So it's a whole range of things that have like more legal ramifications. And so some of them are very serious in which case we

147are getting legal help and in those cases the 30 days isn't adequate. So, um, we're we're really thinking that the the the smart choice for us to do is to move to that 60-day timeline, which allows us to be thorough and it and it doesn't allow the complainant an opportunity to appeal our decision to you, but it they still have the the ability to appeal it to the CDE. >> Seems like a long time. Like I I understand if it's something serious, but as someone who has filed a complaint, not in this district, but another one, like it that seemed like two months seems like a long time to be waiting for a response. >> It depends. >> We can go to the CDE. >> Yeah. No, I understand that. and and ideally we're going

148to try and do it as quickly as we can. But for example, if hypothetically we had a complaint that we needed um that we needed legal support with um and maybe if we needed legal support with it and there that's going to require interviews, that means that the that the investigator is going to need to go and investigate u and interview each of those people and and and I'm thinking of specific things that have happened. Okay, >> it it it's not that everyone we're going to go 60 days. We're going to try and resolve it as quickly as we can, but there are ones that have multiple people to to interview and a lot of complicated pieces and it's and if we're having to use an outside source for that, which there have been a

149couple that we were required to >> it it 60 days is not that long when you factor that part in. So yes, in some cases it's really long and in other cases it goes it goes really quickly, >> especially if something happens on December 5th and then you only have 30 days till January 4th or whatever, like >> Yes, that's true, too. >> Yeah. >> Um, how how many uh in your time with uh with the school district uh have been appealed to the board? >> In my time, zero. Um I I would say um and to be fair like the majority of the complaints that that we get are not the UCP. The majority of them the majority that I get are complaints against employees. Um that that goes is a different board policy

150and it's a different process. Um this we don't have as many of these because they're so specific and I haven't so we haven't had any appealed and we also have not had a whole lot. We've had a we've had a handful in the in the past five years. >> Okay. So, h how how much is a handful? Like >> averaging one or two a year? >> Yeah, I would say like averaging averaging two a year. >> And so that one to two investigations is too burdensome to complete within 30 days. >> Say that again. the the one to two investigations that fall under >> this regulation policy and state law that's too burdensome for the school school district to complete within 30 days >> it it is if we if we are required to go

151with legal support outside so without being specific about about ones that were you know specific items um when we have had when we have had experience or we're required um to to use legal counsel to do the investigation and to do it. Um they're unable to do it for us within 30 days. If we if we're doing it, it's the access is a lot easier. We can get our interviews done very quickly. Like if I'm doing often I'll do an investigation. If I'm doing the investigation, I can go to the school. I can clear my calendar. I can go to the school. I can interview people. I can interview set up things with parents. that time 30 days is not unreasonable if we're handling it in house but many of these because the nature of

152UCP is often more formal and legal some of them we do need to have legal support with and they are not able to um to do it within that time frame. >> Thank you Jason. So um along with that so we're amending this. So before uh the the district had to come to a decision within 30 days and then if the I'm just clarifying for my own >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Um uh and then if the complainant uh wanted to appeal then they had 30 days to go to the board. Is that right? That's where this the design. >> Yes, you have that right. That was a design. So, if I'm doing it and if I was doing it if it was a local one that I could handle in house myself, then 30 days

153is not is not too is not burdensome, you know, like it everything, you know, it's it's it's another complaint. So, it's it's it's work, but I can handle it within 30 days. That gives within the 60-day time frame the district, the board to also have an opportunity to appeal. And in theory, like within that another 30 days, you will have had a board meeting. So, that's I think part of the the thinking around the logic for that is for sure within that 30-day window for the appeal, they will also be able to hit a board meeting and and then the entirety of our addressing of that UCP, including the appeal process, is within the 60-day time limit. >> Okay. So, then there's no appeal to the board in the new one, right? That's that is

154to to stay within the 60 days. The idea on this is that we would that we would there would not be an appeal to the board. There would be an appeal straight to the CDE if um if they were unhappy with the outcome of the investigation. >> Thank you. >> Yes. Go ahead. Um, I would like to table this. Um, >> it's a discussion. >> Oh, it's a discussion. Okay. Well, when we bring this back up, um, it seems to me like more of a law firm problem. Um, and I know we work with several law firms, but whether we have identified the correct one, I'm not inclined to take away the the ability for the board to be aware or potentially intervene on like a bullying case and um, and just let you know,

155kick it straight to the state and then the board gets to say, you know, not our problem when it is. So, I know it's rare. It's very rare. So like potentially this conversation really won't be impactful at the end of the day, but um I'm I'm not inclined. So happy to talk to you about this a little bit more. And then also, you know, Amanda and Jason follow up and and see again if there are more specialized law firms that focus on this type of investigatory work that maybe we could tap into who are quicker to respond and maintain compliance. Anything else, Jason? Did you get all that? >> Yeah, I did. So, I mean, we can bring it. It sounds like the board wants to wants us to bring it back and discuss more.

156Is that what I'm hearing? >> I think so. Yeah, that would be good. Before we actually move on it. >> Yeah. And and just to be clear like like the an administrative regulation doesn't there's no action but obviously any any regulation that we implement we want to be in line with the wishes of the board. So um you know that was that's why this is discussion and not a first read and then a second read. >> Although it's been my experience that law firms no matter how specialized they are don't move very quickly. >> Correct. >> That's just been my experience. We and we use multiple >> multiple firms and the experience has been in my time in HR as well. It's very >> uh depending on the severity and the complexity of if there's

157a concern or complaint it may take more than the 30-day. It's just it's a but then you also look at how often you have board meetings. There could be a situation where oh we have to call call a special board meeting if we're going to make this timeline. Um, but this has been our practice for for a long time. There's just the CSBA is now with I think there Jason has seen an increase. We've seen an increase in complaints >> and a it's a in a challenging environment to hit third to meet to do it within 30 days. Not that it's overly overly burdensome burdensome for us to do it in house, but when we have to go out, we've I mean we talked to a few different law firms and pretty much across the

158board. It's a It takes a It takes them a long time to get these things done. That's all. So, >> could you amend it to like 45 and then they would have 15 to come to the board? >> Would that would that be reasonable? >> We could do that if um then the board the board would need to call us specials meeting. >> It seems like we don't get very many anyway. >> We don't. So, that that is also a possibility. >> I don't know. I don't know whether anybody wants another meeting but >> I agree that 30 days is u yeah >> I know that we had we've had like if we being specific we did have an investigation last year that was that not a UCP a different one but similar idea where

159it was an outside investigator having to interview students and parents and that was literally about four months. Um so uh and they were working diligently on it just coordinating all those schedules. So that's what we're finding is is what we're running into. It's it's not at all an interest in in not having the public have access to the board or drawing out the timeline. It's a matter of trying to to meet the our obligations in in transparency. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> Okay. Um and now we have the um Puma City Schools land acknowledgement. >> So this was brought up um by Trusty Quinn around the idea of let's having having a discussion um that we've we've been we do you know at the beginning of every meeting right I think

160at the last meeting we had a beautiful land acknowledgement by principal. So the idea is is this something that we want to do as a board um once you know at the once a semester every meeting I I don't know I mean it just it was brought up and so I wanted to give a time for a discussion with with board members and give us some direction >> at at last night's uh graduation there was a land acknowledgement and I find them beautiful. I would love to see them at every board meeting. >> Yeah. I'd love to find something that works for us that as much as possible isn't performative, but at the same time, we don't exactly have money or land to repatriate to tribes, which is normally what I would tell a company

161to do instead of just doing a land acknowledgement. Um, but especially after seeing Principal My School do one, I think it would be, even if we don't do it at every board meeting, which I would like to see, it would be nice to have one for PCS. Um, and I don't know who we would want to tap into to help write that, if that's something we put out to the whole community and ask indigenous members of our community to participate in or um, yeah, I just wanted to see what the rest of the board thought, but I think it would be it was really good timing that Principal Mory did that at the meeting that I had wanted that on. Um, I don't necessarily want us to spend a ton of time or energy on

162it, but I think it is important and um, I would like to see something, but I'm not married to any specific vision. I loved the one that he did at the board meeting and I loved what happened last night. So, I don't know, maybe once a month because sometimes we only meet once a month. So, I don't know who would write it, but I'm all for it. >> So, I know so Michelle, she did the land acknowledgement. I know she took like six months to a year to write that. So, she took a lot of time to make it specific to what, you know, to her to her site, all of that. So, I just want to just put that out there, too. And I think the reason why it was so special when Mr.

163more did it, it's because it was him doing it. If I were to read that, it would not have been beautiful. Um, it just it wouldn't have been. Um, and so I think we need to think about that. Who is reading the land acknowledgement? Are we all standing? Because that's typically you do stand during the land acknowledgement. I don't know if that happened last night or when he did it as well. So, I just want to be respectful and also think about who's going to write it. I would want them to be compensated for their time as well and really think about what we want to say and why we want to do it. I don't want to do something just to do it. I want it to be done meaningfully because I also don't

164want to just do something performative either every meeting. So those are just my thoughts. Um I also share some concern about it being performative um rather I mean and then not doing anything additional or outreach to the local tribes uh to um uh and seeing what is what they would want or recommend or is appropriate. And then also then you know also engaging them on anything that we should be also focused on in the curriculum or anything that we're missing but also just having that conversation using this as a conversation to enrich our history enrich our students you know learning and then you know again potential um you know better dialogue with um some of our local constituents and and um other um you know I I think key members of the county. >> Kaitlin,

165I'm going to thank you for bringing it to our attention. I appreciate it. >> This is exactly everyone is thinking or saying out loud what I was trying to say. And what I was thinking too is yeah, I don't want it to just be another thing that we do to make ourselves feel good. Um, and I I don't think that just saying words once a month is enough, but I also don't want to not do something easy if it is like as can be a first step. So, um it looks like Brady. >> Yeah, I just want to share with board members. I did um I reached out to our our local um tribe back in about this time last year because it was really important to our new Valley Vista Public Waldorf community that

166there was some engagement. Um and what was shared was there's um only a few leaders and they are very taxed across our county and so they were asking like essentially guiding us to be really respectful of their time because they can't field all of the requests they're receiving. And so I just would encourage the board the process might need to look like something more than just asking um a lot of time from them because what they shared was gosh we have so few people and we're getting these requests across the board and so we're trying to really select projects that have a big impact. Um so I just wanted to share that with the board. >> That's really helpful. Yeah, I had a uh I really liked like reaching out to community members for it

167and also um tribe members as well because I feel like it shouldn't just be us like or u someone we know creating it because then that would be more performative. I feel like it's for the community, it's for Pedaluma, it's for PCS, it's for everyone. So everyone should also have a part of it, you know, that are part of that um indigenous community that feel like, you know, I feel like that would be really important instead of like, you know, just some one random writing it. I guess I feel like it really needs to like come from the people that it's from. >> So, h do we want to move this forward? How do we want to move this forward? Who wants to move this forward? Do we want to um I don't know. I

168>> I mean, I I'd rather see some sort of partnership that's more meaningful first and then if a land acknowledgement comes out of that, I don't know if other people what other people think about that with >> with the uh coastal Miwok tribe or one of the Pomo tribes um or any organiz I know Redbud resource group is a good one that does a lot of work um doing they do some teaching in some classes they could be a good resource I don't know that it needs to happen right now I know we're working on a lot of things so I don't really know when it would make sense or how to incorporate that, but I know there are folks out there that we could compensate and that have structures to support. And I love

169I mean I love what you said about you know more than a land acknowledgement as well just the ed the I mean we're a school district like ed what is the educational piece of this other organizations that could come I just think about um and yes compensating and and I know we're in a budget crisis and what would that look like you know the education piece with with our students our schools and maybe it would be something that comes out of that process. SCO just held like a workshop or I don't know what to call it um in November for native students. So you could reach out to Aita or Zinga >> about who they used and um not just for the land acknowledgement but also tying it to to curriculum as well and how

170we can marry the two and making sure that we're honoring past and current native folks in our community. So >> that sounds like a really good first step actually like you know to just kind of talk to them about it and definitely talk to Michael and but it sounds like you've already reached out to the local tribes. >> I reached out to the federian. >> Okay. Okay. >> Yeah. >> I don't know. Yeah. >> Why don't we reach why don't we reach out to a few people we can take our head I think. >> Yeah. just take I think it's really important >> that we take our time and make it more >> this interest is still here because there wasn't a year oh doesn't mean there isn't but now I just want to be

171respectful and mindful >> well yeah in in everything you know and to have it really come from from us and from them and and not have it you know really the performative piece of it is certainly the danger and I you know that is not what any of us want. So I think maybe just contacting SCO initially >> and get some ideas from >> Sorry. No, no, no, no, no. >> But I do think it's time for us to if even if it doesn't if all of this does not um end up with a land acknowledgement, at least we'll have increased curriculum and representation in the classrooms. just something to bring more visibility to the native people of Sonoma County. So even if again happen at least we just do something to uplift the community.

172Yeah. So >> what's the name of your >> uh Red Red Bud Resource Group? I think it's definitely Red Bud Resource something. >> Yeah, I would definitely reach out to them also. >> I can send that name. Yeah. >> Is it a Sonoma County? >> I They definitely have a presence in Sonoma County. Um, I think they're basic. They're mostly in Soma, Mendescino, and Lake. I think they're mostly associated with the Pomo people, but I'm not 100% sure. >> Excellent. >> Yes. Thank you. >> Any other Thank you. Okay. Um, all right. We have We're going on to a first reading of policy and regulation 514. So, we have a plan on that, right? For the um land acknowledgement. >> Yes. Okay. >> Yes. >> Uh first reading of policy and regulation 5145.13, response to

173immigration enforcement. Yes. So, we're bringing forward tonight for this uh an up a revision to board policy 5145.13 and the addition of a new administrative regulation. Um and this ensures that our district uh that we remain in full compliance with all associated ed codes, state law, recent legislative mandates um and guidance from the the California Office of the Attorney General. So this is the exact CSBA model language that we're bringing forth. And you'll notice in the administrative regulation that there is a lot more um information in terms of steps that we take as a district um to ensure that um we aren't releasing any information information or documents related to a student's immigration or citizen citizenship status as well as how we respond to the detention or deportation of a student's parent or guardian and

174what our instructions are um in terms of caring for that student. And so, um, I do want to share that starting in January 2025 for the 2526 school year, um, when we had some changes obviously to what ICE was looking like in our nation, uh, and the response, uh, what immigration enforcement was doing, we quickly mobilized resources, presentations for our administrators, as well as training through F3 so that we could provide our administrators with clear guidance and training around what to do in the event an immigration enforcement officer arrived at our school sites. Um we just had another training with F3. So we hold an annual legal training but always referring to those plans and those documents. Um our school site secretaries were a part of that training as well as our site administrators and

175then providing some turnkey um uh slide decks so that administrators could go back and share the information with their staff. So it's something that we're reviewing on an ongoing basis. Um, in addition, we have uh an a new requirement in our safety plans um where we need to put in a communication protocol to our families if there is uh immigration enforcement officers that show up at our school site. So, when I bring the safety plans in February, you'll you'll see that as a part as a component to our safety plans. >> Excellent. And what training is like your average staff member getting? Because obviously I should go to the front office, but there's a lot of things that they should do that they don't. So I'm just picturing them like walking on to CASA by

176the from the football field and like what if I'm a teacher in R1 and I the like so are I guess yeah my question is our staff getting some level of training. Yes, very the direction to admin has been to share the in the high level information that we're giving to them through the training. So it's making sure that anyone we have on campus is following visitor protocols, right? And if they're not following visitor protocols, right? Making sure that anyone that is entering the campus that we have a safety concern for, then our administrators go into those um emergency protocols, right? if we need to do a secure the campus or right and so whenever anyone comes onto campus but an an immigration enforcement officer we would direct and guide to the office um and

177from there district administrators would be called and the direction is that we would have legal um on the phone and we would be reviewing if we have due judicial warrants if we have subpoenas all of that um no school site what we've told them they will never go go alone um in this situation. >> Great. Thank you. >> What is the role of the police department at at um at any point I guess? >> So very interesting. We've had wonderful partnership with Paluma Police Department. Um, Lieutenant Rivera met with us early on um, last year actually to talk about that um, the intersection of law enfor you know local police officers and then immigration enforcement and they were very clear that they are they are not involved um, in anything. They the only time that

178Paluma Police Department would be called into action I guess you would say to support any ICE activity is if there was some sort of eminent concern to public safety. Um but they do not they are not a part of any of the ICE enforcement um protocols and so um they have made it clear that if we have a concern or a threat to safety at our school sites we would rely on them as we always have. So they could be called if there was, you know, if if they just ice just blew past, >> which of course they would. >> Yeah. If we we wanted blew past, then we could rely on the police department to come. >> But but we >> Well, I mean, we could call that. >> Well, I think I think

179themselves is a threat to public safety. I mean, what we've seen, um, they don't really care about rules, regulations, the fact that they just can't walk onto they're going to do whatever they want. Um, that's what scares me the most. >> I think all we can do is have our policies and our regulations and train our people. We can't control like you're saying what PPD does, what ICE does, but we can to the most extent possible make sure that our staff and our teachers and our students feel safe on our campus and hope that PPD will also, you know, help us if there is a situation like that because like you're saying, we cannot predict what's going to happen in that case. So, >> so we have several lessons and I think scenarios to ponder

180uh under this um our regulations and training response notification to parents. We have seen in Los Angeles, we have seen ICE agents attempt to get onto a camp, get onto a campus and get into a classroom. We have seen them show up to parking lots at graduations. We have seen them hang outside of uh high schools where there are, you know, single entry and exit points in Minneapolis um and grab students and they are on a public sidewalk. I want to make sure that our staff and our parents and our students all know that uh we have walked through these scenarios in our head. Our staff knows what to do and proper notification. So then we are protecting our students. It's not that we're doing the best we can. We are ensuring that they are

181safe on campus and if there is a threat to their families, we should make sure that the families know that there's a threat and they have um you know ICE is has turned completely lawless. They are a threat to safety for being anywhere near campus. And we've seen that in Minneapolis. They alerted when I they saw ICE, you know, cars parked outside and ready to go. They alerted parents right away. Yeah. And so like that is one >> that is a policy and I want to make sure now that we have walked through and we have trained and that everyone is signed up and so our parents have the full knowledge of what's going on if there's any situations and our students and families know that when their student is on campus they are safe.

182>> And I will say that is Erica still here? She's still here. Um because I as a parent I we have gotten I am very appreciative. We have gotten um communication from the and I see Jessica nodding Jessica nodding her head. Um we have gotten notification from um not just this this the site but also from the district of like addressing your concerns as well that when students are on are on our campuses they are safe and um yeah so if that helps you feel any better about about that piece that we are talking to parents we are letting students know that they're safe on our campuses. Yeah. I don't know if you wanted more than that or >> I believe we have we've had legal zooms, we've had memos go out. Mhm. >> I

183think the final missing piece is actually walking through spending an hour walking through these scenarios with the campuses and um ensuring that everyone is on the same page and they know how to communicate um during when these both internally and then externally >> um when one of these situations is happening. And we have lessons now from Los Angeles and Minneapolis in particular and other school districts across the country where they are terrorizing campuses and trying to scare the community um scare students from participating in in public services and scaring families from leaving their house. And we have to do everything we can to again ensure that everyone knows that we are um doing everything we can to make sure that these campuses are completely safe and communication there's not we're not going to drop the

184ball when this occurs. >> Yeah. And I I appreciate um Trusty Williams what you're bringing up regarding where we are now in the country and what we've seen versus nine months ago. Right. And so I think there is a it's necessary to add these to the drill list, right? We have our earthquake drill. We have our and so walking through those scenarios, but also look making sure that our staff are aware just like they know what to do at an earthquake drill if they see someone right in immigration enforcement officer that everyone is clear on what they need to do to ensure the safety of the students. And so we can we have our Northbay security group um that is supporting it with drills, safety drills, and that can be an added component as well

185as we um complete our drills for this school year. Adding that piece to it as well. I would think that um if anybody walks onto our campus without permission, there's an intruder drill that we go through that we lock our doors, we sit on the floor. And so I think that that that's one of the things that we really need to be aware of that if you see some jack booted thug walking on campus, it's an he's an illegal intruder onto our campus. The difference is I mean you've got intruder drill which is I think the the idea about running through this with with staff. I'm a little wary of doing it with um particular elementary schools and terrifying >> you know there's there's a time and place and an age group where we can

186be prepared with the staff at le you know for sure but there's a difference between you an intruder or you know with elementary it's like oh dog on campus or locking doors or versus having law enforcement federal law enforcement agents with guns on our campus and then you've got local it there's a a lot of there's a lot of moving pieces and what that would look like, but I agree with Trusty Williams. We got we have to be prepared for what could come. >> And to be clear, I'm not requesting that we train staff along with students. >> I think >> this is a staff and to answer questions and to walk through the different scenarios to make sure there's clarity and it's not just a legal memo. As we all know, reading something on

187paper and thinking about it is completely different from acting it out and communicating with other people who are also responding to the information that they see. >> So, we typically do drills with North Bay security. Sometimes the students are on campus, sometimes it's part of a staff meeting. So, this would be more of a staff meeting with staff. Here's what we would do. Walk through. >> Yeah. And I also think we need to let parents know just as Ryan brought up that this is what we are doing. We are we are protecting your students. They they need to feel comfortable coming to school. These are the trainings we're going through so that they so that the parents know that we are doing whatever we can um in face of this fascist regime. Um I was

188think along those lines and along his um one of the reasons we're doing this is in order to have this AR so that we do have a district policy and standard and this is what we do so that then the principles will have that and then I I would recommend that when we do pass it which I'm assuming will be at the next meeting. Well, it's the first reading. >> Today's the first reading. Oh, February. Yeah, it is the first reading. Oh, this is the first reading. Perfect. >> Right. >> So, um so we can do it as soon as possible. And then I I would recommend that we put it out in a um >> in in a parent square, you know, so that people are very aware that these are the things that

189we're doing. We want to make sure that everyone is safe >> and um and that we will be doing these other uh trainings of staff with our security system or our security. We can bring we can bring it back for a second reading February >> 9th >> and then the resolution can pass. We can attach that as an apparent square and send out a message >> the little explanation and how Yeah. Okay. That would be great. >> Yeah. I just also had um a question about um high school students uh juniors and seniors specifically leaving off campus and what the ICE protocol would be for that cuz I don't know if I'm wrong but still you're you're still in school but I don't know if they're still liable for you if you're like at the

190Starbucks down the street. So if ICE was there at that center what what would happen is that something that we should be cautioning students that we should put in like part of the newsletter. Hey, if you are worried about this, we are not liable if you are down the street. I don't know what that I don't know what the protocol is, but it should, you know, I feel that should also be added at least to the high school level and like leaving during the school day specifically. >> Yeah, I think juniors and seniors can absolutely be part of that um protocol and know what's going on. I mean, I think I not elementary kids, but I think juniors and seniors, especially if they're going off campus, um, or if they're on a field trip in

191an area where something's happening, they need to know what their rights are and what they should do. Well, you know, not to blavorver the point, but we should have less juniors and seniors off campus, but um >> he's got >> Yeah. Um I think we can Jessica's point is one of the scenarios we run through and how to communicate that. Um because as we have again seen in Minneapolis that it is not just the targets of the ICE investigation or administrative warrant that are at risk. It is the greater community because of the way they conduct themselves and do not follow law enforcement protocols in any sort of way. They are there to cause chaos, to cause fear within the community, to cause disruption and we are going to see more of this. They are

192still not properly staffed. Um they have the ICE they are continuing to do recruitment um and staff up. They uh it is something that we have to be ready for and it's something that will occur unless you know something changes with their budget. They will have larger budgets than most of the militaries in the world. it will be t they have tens of thousands of agents um who are have quotas to arrest and disrupt and to cause chaos. And so we again just have to be ready and I want to just be as clear as possible that this is a serious concern of mine. is a serious concern of other parents um and of the community at large and we just need to be ready and do what we can but also guarantee you know

193the safety of our students and staff on campus. Thank you. Okay. Um thank you. Um so now we have comments from the public on discussion items. It's um topical. So uh we have Justin Hansel Durban to start out with a comment about the immigration enforcement. >> I tried to push this to turn it on. Okay. Uh thank you very much. Uh Justin Hansel Durban. I'm a parent at Mary Collins Cherry Valley. I have a third grader, a seventh grader, um one of the co- tied co-f facilitators at that school. Um thank you all very much for having this conversation. Um a lot of school districts out there haven't even started thinking about it. We've taken proactive steps at this district. I really appreciate it. Um and so thank you for letting me talk and having

194this opportunity. Um, I'm definitely a privileged white male here and I'm not going to be a target very often. Um, so I want to just it's really important for us who have that privilege to speak up. Um, I did the best I could last night digging through these new documents and the revised documents. I really appreciate the time and effort everyone's taken. Um, so I have a few comments. I'm just I've already sent you the text of it. Um, I'm just going to go through a few of them. Um regarding this the policy um there was a change that specifically around training it said that you know the superintendent may pro provide training. It got ch it used to say they shall the staff shall receive training. Now it says they they may provide the

195training. Um I think it still should say shall if we can. Um, and then regarding doing all that we can do to keep the students and families and staff safe on campus, I think it would be great if we could add language into that policy that provides the superintendent and the designate and the district, you know, guidance to please work with the other local agencies, the city and the county. It sounds like there has been conversations with the police department. Um, but there doesn't sound like there's a plan. There doesn't sound like you've done drills or you've done um comprehensive coordination with the people that are most equipped to be able to try to deescalate and and stop ICE from coming into our schools and abducting people. Um, I would love to see that engagement

196happen and that planning happen. Um, that would be fantastic. And if we can just get that in there, I I think that would be very helpful and make people feel better. Um, and to like we've said before, planning ahead matters, right? And that's what we've seen around this country having the conversations with multiple jurisdictions, the more people and the more organizations we can get together and on the same page and practicing, the better we're going to get at and more successful we'll be about keeping our community safe. um going into the um the new um procedures for the staff. Um let's see where have I got here. Um it I think the language in the second section here um it it's >> it's 10 seconds. >> 10 seconds. All right. you can look at my

197my my uh stuff, but there can be I think there needs to be a little more reading through this and there's a lot of discussion about, you know, asking for consent um for searching and for um interviews. I think the first thing that needs to be talked about is not letting them on campus. If they're not on campus, how are they asking to to be interviewed? Interviewing students and searching students. So, I think that the order in which it's discussed could be improved. Um, and I don't I I don't know if an 18-year-old being faced with an ICE agent is in any way, shape, or form able to give consent. Consent has to be you have to be not in duress to give consent. And I can't imagine anybody faced with ICE agents not being

198in duress. So, thank you for taking the time. I really appreciate it. >> Thank you. Thank you for all your >> Let me know if you want to talk about it. >> No, thank you very much. >> Oh, okay. Um, Christa Hello again. So, you can imagine that I'm speaking in support of the policy and regulation 514513. Um, I appreciate the thoughtful conversation that everyone has had. Um, I appreciate that Assistant Superintendent Sanchez Mosley has brought this updated policy for consideration. Um, not to reiterate things that have already been emphasized, but I I want to echo what the previous speaker said about um the superintendent or design may provide that language that's in the policy. And I just want to say that as a person um on campus, I know that many of us have

199expressed concern that not every adult employee knows and understands what to do if confronted with a situation where student rights and safety are challenged by outside individuals and agencies, specifically ICE or others. So I would ask that in addition to approving and adopting the policy once adopted to make sure that all adults are made aware of and trained annually um as Trusty Williams said, you know, to really make this more um tangible and concrete and be because my my concern is that I hear um Assistant Superintendent Sanchez Mosley say that principles have received the information, that there are powerpoints, and I I just want to say that I know that our principles have a tremendous amount of information and work to do with with staff. Staff meetings are largely teachers. Teachers are not the only

200adults on campus. Therefore, I just feel like we really need to do more to ensure that every adult knows and understands, that every adult is trained, that every adult feels comfortable um confronting or at least acknowledging when uh unknown people walk onto campus. I think that sometimes people walk onto campus and not everyone is comfortable stopping people and saying, "Hello, what are you doing here?" etc. So, I just feel like um all of this needs to be taken as seriously as we can possibly take it to make sure that the students in our care and their families know and understand that we are there to protect them and we'll do everything that we can to make sure that school is safe. I've been telling my students, your teachers are working very hard to make sure

201that this is >> 25 >> safe space and we will continue to do everything that we can to make sure that when you are with us that we are protecting you. So, thank you very much for all your time, your effort and um your work on this. It's incredibly important especially right now. So, thank you. >> Thank you. Uh, Heather Gallagher. Hello. I'm Heather Gallagher. I have two children in the school district and I wanted to thank you guys for stepping up and making an ICE policy protocol to protect our school community. Um, I really am like the conversation you guys had this evening and it would be wonderful to see that reflected in the protocol after reading the revised response to the immigration enforcement. I don't feel a sense of safety on campus for

202myself, for students at the school. And I given the reality that ICE is terrorizing communities and using unlawful enforcement towards citizens, I believe it is wise to include concrete wording in the policy to show the community that we have zero tolerance for hate, violence, and bullying on campus. As stated in the policy footnotes, ED code 234.1 and 234.7, I would like the immigration policy to adopt some of the language to give our community a sense of peace and a reason to feel safe attending school. The Santa Rosa Junior College Immigration Enforcement gave me a sense of safety and peace. The they affirm all students, faculty and staff, regardless of immigration status, have a right to privacy and the inalienable right to attend campus which are safe, secure, and peaceful. Their language gave me a sense

203of safety and I'd encourage you guys to look at that language and try and adopt some for the policy so that people really do want to attend school because they have a right to free and public education and I want them to feel safe. The California Supreme Court has affirmed that an immigrant students right to an equal education opportunity is virtually important right in our society. Their policy clearly states a guide to respond to immigration enforcement which I'd like to see in our policy as well is we don't know what to do and students by and large don't know what to do. staff. I'm so happy that you guys are educating the staff. That's wonderful. Um, they also had student and community resources that educate and empower the community. So, I encourage everybody to look

204at that. Not everybody comes to the board meetings or watches the board meetings, but I love that you guys are using Parent Square to get the information out to everyone. Thank you all for uh for coming and for speaking on this really really important heartbreaking uh thing that's happening. Can we um incorporate some of that? Would we be able to amend this including some of these suggestions uh before February 9th so we can get this done on that meeting? Say that again. >> So, I just want to make sure that we h we can pass this by February 9th at our next meeting. >> Well, yeah, it's gonna it'll come for a second read February 9th. >> And we'll look at those. I just got this four hours ago. We can we'll look at >>

205Yeah. Just to make it stronger and >> Sure. Not shall, but will. >> Um, would you want to delegate recommended revisions to two board members to work on with? >> Would that be good? >> Oh, I think we have a volunteer. Anybody else? >> Okay. All right. So, that's within the next week or two. >> Yeah. Within. >> Okay. All right.